Monk Kurgadu

In ancient times, there lived a businessman named Dhandatta, who was highly religious. He also raised his son to be very religious. Once Dharmaghosh-suri, the highly enlightened Ächärya of that time, came to the town where Dhandatta lived. Dhandatta took his son to listen to his sermon. The boy was so impressed by the Ächärya’s sermon that he decided to become his disciple. Accordingly, he renounced worldly life and became a monk at a very young age. The Ächärya realized that the boy had tremendous potential to be a great Jain monk. He therefore renamed him Kulaguru. In the native language of that area he came to be known as Kurgadu.

 

Kurgadu studied the holy books and correctly comprehended their essence. He realized the role of Karma in the life of every being and thereby learned to maintain a high level of equanimity. He rigorously observed the code of conduct for monks. However, he could not overcome one problem. It was difficult for him to stay hungry and so he could not fast. He needed to eat at least once a day. Even during Paryushan Parva he could not fast even for a single day. As he ate his food on the days of Parva, he felt miserable and regretted that he was not able to fast. He attributed his inability to fast to his previous Karmas. When the other monks observed their fasts, he praised them and rendered every type of service to them. He wished in his heart that he could someday observe fasts.

 

It was during one monsoon season that an event occurred that changed his situation. During the monsoon season, Jain monks forgo traveling and remain in one place for the duration of the monsoons. Paryushan Parva falls during the monsoon season. During this Paryushan Parva, Ächärya Dharmaghosh-suri, along with many of his disciples including Muni Kurgadu, was in town. Many of the monks undertook long fasts, some extending more than a month. Kurgadu felt disappointed that he could not observe such austerities. Especially on the day of Samvatsari he wished that he could observe a day long fast. He began the day in an earnest effort to avoid eating for one day. However, before noon he felt very hungry and could not do without food. He was surprised at the kind of Karma he had acquired that he could not fast even for a day! He reluctantly approached the Guru and begged his permission to go for alms. The Guru lovingly tried to persuade him to go without food for at least one day. He should be inspired to observe a fast at least for that day, especially when all other monks were on long fasts. Kurgadu humbly replied that he did wish to observe a fast and very much regretted his inability to fast. The Guru pitied his miserable fate and compassionately allowed him to go for alms.

 

Kurgadu went for alms and accepted the food that was offered to him. Returning, he presented the alms to his Guru as part of the monks’ code of conduct and begged his permission to eat. He did all this in modesty. Guru gave his permission but other monks made negative remarks. Kurgadu was eating on an auspicious day and felt sorry that he was acquiring unwholesome Karmas on the day of Samvatsari. They unsympathetically said that he did not deserve to be a monk. Kurgadu listened to the remarks quietly. He went to a corner and most reluctantly started to eat.

 

While eating, Kurgadu dwelt deeply on the inability of his body to remain without food even for a day. Well read as he was, he could see that it must be the result of his previous Karma. He understood that all Karmas are shed after extending the appropriate consequence and this Karma too would be shed. He made up his mind to passively accept what had been ordained by his Karma. Because of his study of the scriptures, he had gained insight about the true nature of his soul. Despising himself for not observing a fast was functioning as a handicap to the full realization of that true nature. Now, his willingness to accept what was a physical limitation endowed him the insight of distinguishing the nature of soul from the varying states of the body and mind. That gave rise to the manifestation of the true nature of the soul. His realization was strong enough to destroy all the defiling Karmas on the spot and he gained omniscience (Keval-jnän) immediately while he was eating.

When one attains omniscience, heavenly beings arrive to offer their obeisance. When other monks saw the heavenly beings coming towards them, they felt that the heavenly beings were coming to praise them for their severe austerities. Instead, they turned to Kurgadu and offered their obeisance to him. No one could understand why those observing severe austerity were left out while the one who could not observe it at all had gained full enlightenment.

 

In amazement, they went to Dharmaghosh-suri and asked him the reason for what had happened. The Ächärya said that all of them were feeling very proud of their austerities and were unnecessarily disapproving of Kurgadu for not observing a fast. Thereby they were smeared by perception obscuring Karma that obscured right perception. He urged them to bear in mind that the primary purpose of observing austerities or any other religious practice was to gain modesty that leads to right perception and in turn helps to attain equanimity. They had misjudged Kurgadu who had realized the essence of religion. Earlier he had acquired obstructing Karma that did not allow him to observe the austerity. He felt sad and sincerely repented for that Karma which had become operative in his current life. By properly comprehending the role of Karma he acquired right perception. He regretted those Karmas but he was bearing the consequence of it with equanimity. This helped in wiping out the previously acquired Karmas without incurring new bondage.

 

All the monks realized that they were indulging in unnecessary vanity that obstructed right perception. The Ächärya also explained that the soul had nothing to do with the state and activities of the body. The body is obtained as a consequence of the operative
Karma and should be used simply as an instrument for realizing the true nature of soul. It can be an effective instrument only if it is used purposefully. Understanding the true nature of the soul is the essence of religion and it is the only thing worth pursuing in this life. We should never look down upon anyone who cannot observe austerities and penance or one who cannot follow the religious principles as much as others. Rather than putting these people down, one must encourage them to do so with compassion and realize that it is due to the Karmas of that person that they are unable to do so. One must never be proud of the austerities that one is able to perform.