STATUE OF COMPASSION: MONK DHARMARUCHI

Long time ago there lived a woman whose name was Nagashree. She was popular in making delicious vegetables. One day there was an occasion in her home and many relatives used to come in her home for lunch. She prepared various vegetables. She also prepared a vegetable of gourd, but by her mistake the vegetable became bitter in taste. It also became poisonous and hence unable to use. She abandoned it in a bowl and put the bowl aside. She also became worried about waste of money for that. She was thinking about what to do.

Later, a monk named Dharmaruchi Anagaar approached her home for alms. He was breaking his one month long fast. Nagashree poured that poisonous vegetable of gourd into Dharmaruchi’s bowl despite of knowing that it was bitter and was unusable. She felt lucky on that. The monk went back to upashraya (a place for Jain monks to stay for limited period). His head monk possessed with extra sensory knowledge and he could see that this vegetable is poisonous and unable to use. He ordered Dharmaruchi to go in the jungle and forsake it in a pure place.

Dharmaruchi went in the jungle and he was wandering and seeking a place where he could forsake the vegetable. Somehow a drop of vegetable fell in the ground and few ants attracted toward it. As soon as those ants tried to taste it, all of them died on the spot. By seeing this Dharmaruchi’s heart felt with compassion and he thought, “This one drop can kill so many ants, how many innocent insects would die by this whole quantity of food? He again thought, “What should I do now? Should I give peace to myself or I give peace to these innocent insects? If I bury this vegetable then the ants will find out and all will die. I don’t think there is such a pure place in this jungle where I can forsake this food. If I forsake here, then it will kill many innocent insects and this act will increase my soul’s transmigration. If I use this meal then my life would end and also the cycle of birth and death would end. This meal is poisonous but it is tasty because it has taste of kindness to all living beings. By thinking that, Dharmaruchi sat and ate the whole meal. He sat his mind to Samadhi and he died peacefully. Before his soul left the body his mind was in deep compassion toward all living beings. As a result his pious soul reincarnated in the 12^th Heavenly region. From there after taking one or two births he will attain liberation.

Later his colleague monks approached there and they all saw the dead body. His head monk knew all this from his spiritual knowledge and he exposed that woman who intentionally poured poisonous vegetable to a monk. Her husband got angry and exiled her from the town. She then stumbled upon forest fire and died in agony and reincarnated in “dark hued”, the sixth hell.

WEIRD NATURE OF MUNDANE WORLD

Once there lived a rich man whose name was Nagdatt. He had built his huge palace and was suggesting the artist to make such colors and design which last for seven generations. The artist said, “I can make amazing design and color to your palace but you need to spend lots of money”. Nagdatt said,” you don’t worry about money, I can spend lots of money but my purpose is the beauty of my palace should last for seven generations”. In that moment a Jain monk who possessed four types of knowledge passed and he saw Nagdatt ordering the artist. He smiled jokingly at Nagdatt. Nagdatt saw him and thought why such a great monk smiles like making fun of me?

Now it was noon time. Nagdatt was taking lunch. His son was sitting on his lap. Soon his son subsided urine and few drops fell into Nagdatt’s dish. Nagdatt didn’t care of it and was still enjoying his lunch. At that moment the same Jain monk entered his home for alms. He saw Nagdatt was never bothered about urine drops that fell in his dish and he was still enjoying his lunch. The monk once again smiled jokingly. Nagdatt saw this and again surprised about that monk’s smile. He decided to meet that monk to ask the reason of his smiles.

Now at the evening time, Nagdatt was in his shop. Soon a goat escaped from the butcher entered his shop and it was hiding in the corner of the shop. The butcher also came following the goat and asked Nagdatt to return his goad. The butcher said if he cannot return the goat then give the money instead. Nagdatt didn’t show any compassion and forcefully returned the goat. He saw the goat was crying and was in fear. The monk again passed through the street and he saw all this. He smiled once again. Nagdatt saw him and couldn’t understand why the monk smiled at him three times.

At late evening he went to the place where the monk was staying to spend four months of monsoon. He came to the monk and asked him about the reason of those smiles. Nagdatt asked, “Oh monk! Please tell me, today morning when I was ordering the artist to make colors and design in my palace, you saw it and smiled jokingly. You have great knowledge and there must be a reason behind that. Please tell me the reason”. The monk said,” Oh Nagdatt! You were ordering to make your palace look great for seven generations. You are going to die in seven days! Tell me, isn’t it funny? Nagdatt was shocked by hearing this. But he acquired dare and ask the monk for the reason of smile for second time. The monk said,” you were taking lunch and you didn’t bothered when your son subsided urine and few drops fell into your dish. Your son is the being whom you have killed before your marriage. He was your wife’s lover. He has now taken birth as your son and you were enjoying meal which was mixed with the few drops of his urine! Now tell me isn’t it funny? The monk continued, “Now I am telling you the reason for my third smile. The goat that you forcefully returned to the butcher was the being of your father. Your father has taken birth as a goat. The goat acquired the knowledge of previous birth and identified you as son. That is why it was hiding deeper and deeper in your shop. But you didn’t show mercy and returned it to the butcher. You valued money first and didn’t show mercy for the goat who was your father’s soul. That is why I smiled.

By hearing all this from monk Nagdatt realized the true nature of mundane world where no relations last forever. He quickly went to the butcher. The butcher said the goat has been slaughtered. Nagdatt returned to the monk and asked the destiny of his father’s soul. The monk said that the soul has descended to the hell because it died in anger for you. Nagdatt asked the monk that what he should do for seven days. The monk said that living the life of an ascetic for one day can lead the soul to the 12th heavenly region, imagine! You have seven days! Nagdatt took renunciation and spent the last seven days of his life as a monk. Eventually he died in peace and reincarnated in the heaven.


Key Message:
Every relation in the world is subject to alternation. Nothing remains forever. People love their relatives and hate their enemies. This story tells how the enemy becomes son and the father becomes goat. So whom to love? Whom to hate? It is really impossible to judge this in this mundane world which is full of perplexity. Every relation is nothing but simply illusory. The soul needs no attachment and no aversion.