Abhaykumar And Thief Rohineya

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Abhaykumar and Thief Rohineya":

The story takes place during the time of Bhagawan Mahavir. It centers around Rohineya, the son of Lohkhur, a skilled burglar who lived near Rajgrihi. Rohineya inherited and excelled in his father's profession, becoming an expert thief known for his disguises and ability to evade capture. He used his ill-gotten gains to help the poor, who were grateful and unwilling to assist authorities in tracking him down.

Before his death, Lohkhur advised Rohineya to never listen to Bhagawan Mahavir's sermons, believing they were detrimental to their criminal profession. Rohineya promised to follow his father's advice.

After Lohkhur's death, Rohineya's burglaries escalated, causing widespread fear among the wealthy citizens of Rajgrihi. They appealed to King Shrenik for protection. The king tasked his intelligent chief minister, Abhaykumar, with apprehending Rohineya.

One day, while traveling near Bhagawan Mahavir's assembly hall, Rohineya remembered his father's warning and covered his ears to avoid hearing the sermon. However, he stepped on a thorn, forcing him to remove his hands from his ears. During that brief moment, he overheard a few words from Bhagawan Mahavir's sermon, which spoke about the preciousness of human life for attaining liberation, the equality of all humans in this regard, and the desire of heavenly beings for a human birth to achieve ultimate bliss. Rohineya then removed the thorn and resumed his journey, covering his ears again.

In Rajgrihi, Abhaykumar had stationed disguised soldiers. A soldier recognized Rohineya despite his disguise, and alerted Abhaykumar. Abhaykumar, also recognizing him, had Rohineya surrounded and apprehended.

Presented before King Shrenik, Rohineya, in disguise, claimed to be a farmer named Durgachandra. Inquiries in his supposed village confirmed his false identity, making it difficult for Abhaykumar to prove he was the notorious burglar.

To extract a confession, Abhaykumar devised a plan. Rohineya was given a large amount of wine, rendering him unconscious. He was then cleaned, dressed in luxurious royal attire, adorned with jewelry, and placed on a lavish bed in a well-appointed room, designed to resemble a heavenly abode. Upon waking, Rohineya found himself surrounded by beautiful maidens and experiencing seemingly divine comforts. He was told he was now a king in heaven, like Indra.

Initially bewildered, Rohineya questioned if such fortune could be for a burglar, but then considered his good deeds towards the poor. He also suspected Abhaykumar's trickery. While observing his surroundings, he remembered Bhagawan Mahavir's words about heavenly beings. He noticed that the "heavenly" beings around him had feet touching the ground, cast shadows, and blinked, unlike the description he had heard. He realized this was an illusion created by Abhaykumar.

When asked about his past deeds by a person posing as a celestial administrator, Rohineya, recognizing the deception, lied about his past, claiming he had performed charitable acts and avoided wrongdoing. Abhaykumar's plan to elicit a confession about his burglaries failed, and Rohineya was released as the innocent farmer he appeared to be.

Released, Rohineya reflected on the experience. He understood that the few words he had accidentally heard from Bhagawan Mahavir had saved him and changed his perspective. He questioned his father's advice and realized the immense power of Mahavir's teachings. He decided to seek out Bhagawan Mahavir, confess his sins to the king, and become a monk.

At the assembly, Rohineya revealed his true identity to King Shrenik, who was present, and offered to accept any punishment and return all his stolen treasures to Abhaykumar.

King Shrenik, impressed by Rohineya's voluntary confession and remorse, pardoned him and allowed him to become a monk. Rohineya underwent severe austerities to expiate his past misdeeds. In his old age, with Bhagawan Mahavir's permission, he practiced Sanlekhana (voluntary fasting leading to death) and was subsequently reborn in heaven.

The story highlights several key themes:

• Honesty and Non-Stealing: It emphasizes that even if stolen wealth is used for good deeds, the act of stealing is still wrong and accumulates negative karma.
• Repentance and Karma: True atonement requires sincere repentance to destroy accumulated bad karma.
• Value of Human Birth: Human life is the only means to achieve ultimate liberation, and even heavenly beings desire it for this purpose. One should cherish and utilize this human birth for spiritual progress.
• Power of Teachings: Even a brief, accidental exposure to Bhagawan Mahavir's teachings had a profound and life-altering impact on Rohineya, underscoring the importance of studying and following Jain scriptures (Agams).