COMPASSION LEADS TO EMANCIPATION

It is not true that only humans can develop compassion and love toward all living beings. Some animals also have capacity to develop such level of compassion toward other living beings. In the ancient Jain texts it is mentioned that how compassion plays major role for the progress of the soul toward liberation. There is a beautiful story in the history of an elephant in the history of Jainism which states that how compassion and kindness toward all living being plays major role in spiritual upliftment.

This is a story about an elephant. Once, there was a wild fire in the forest where that elephant used to live. All the animals came running and took refuge on the safe place. The elephant also went there. During that time, the elephant raised his foot to scratch his body because of an itch. That very time a rabbit was pushed in that space by the pressure of other animals. As the elephant tried to put the foot back, he felt the presence of the rabbit and decided to hold the foot up in order to save it. The fire raged for two and a half day during which the elephant continued to hold the foot up out of compassion for the rabbit.

At the end of fire as the animals retreated, the elephant tried to lower his foot. It had however stiffened during that time. The elephant could not maintain his balance and fell down. He felt agonizing pain and could not get up. That way he spent three days and night facing much affliction and acute pain. Ultimately the elephant left that body and were born as the prince, named Meghrath of King Shrenik, because of compassion for the rabbit.

At the age of 8 he was sent to school where he learned all 72 arts and crafts and became known as an accomplished youth. He was then married to 8 beautiful girls with whom he enjoyed all the pleasures of the worldly life. Once Lord Mahavira came to Rajgruhi and camped in Gunashil monastery. Almost every resident of Rajgruhi used to go to His sermon. Meghkumar went as well, and was very much impressed. Realizing the transitory nature of the worldly situations, as explained by the Lord, he decided to renounce his worldly life. But his parents were sad to hear about his intentions. They tried every means to stop him from renouncing. He however remained very firm. He left everything and became a possession-less monk of Lord Mahavira.

After becoming a monk in Lord Mahavira’s order, Meghkumar undertook fasting, meditation and other austerities in order to shed his karma. The Lord and his chief disciple Indrabhuti Gautam too praised him for that. When his body became very weak and could no longer observe the rigors of monk-hood, he decided to observe fast unto death. That he did for a month on mount Vaibhargiri near Rajgruhi and took birth in heaven. The Lord has stated to Indrabhuti Gautam that at the end of the heavenly life, he would be reborn in Maha-Videha part of the Universe and would attain salvation.

The story states how an elephant reached the level of higher purity of soul just because he had compassion for the rabbit in that birth.

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.