Monk Kurgadu

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Monk Kurgadu":

The story "Monk Kurgadu" tells the tale of a young man named Kurgadu who, deeply impressed by the sermon of Acharya Dharmaghosh-suri, renounces worldly life at a young age to become a Jain monk. The Acharya recognizes his potential and renames him Kulaguru, which becomes Kurgadu in the local dialect.

Kurgadu diligently studies the Jain scriptures and understands the concept of Karma and its influence on life, leading him to maintain equanimity. However, he faces a significant personal struggle: he cannot fast. Even during the important Paryushan Parva, he is compelled to eat, which causes him deep remorse and a feeling of inadequacy compared to his fellow monks who undertake long fasts. He attributes his inability to fast to his past Karmas. Despite his personal limitations, Kurgadu remains devoted, praising and serving other monks who fast, and earnestly wishing he could also observe fasts.

During one monsoon season, a critical moment arrives. While observing Paryushan, Kurgadu, like many other monks, attempts to fast for the entire day, particularly on Samvatsari, the most auspicious day. However, he finds himself unable to do so, succumbing to hunger before noon. He reluctantly seeks permission from Acharya Dharmaghosh-suri to break his fast. The Acharya, recognizing Kurgadu's genuine desire and his regret, initially encourages him to persevere, but ultimately, out of compassion for his "miserable fate," grants him permission to go for alms.

Upon returning, Kurgadu presents his alms to the Guru and requests permission to eat. While he does so with modesty, other monks criticize him harshly, stating he doesn't deserve to be a monk because he cannot fast on such an important day. Kurgadu quietly accepts these remarks and begins to eat in a secluded spot, filled with regret.

As he eats, Kurgadu reflects deeply on his inability to fast. He understands that this is a consequence of his past Karmas, and he resolves to accept this limitation passively. His deep scriptural knowledge has given him insight into the true nature of the soul. He realizes that his self-condemnation for not fasting is hindering his spiritual progress. By willingly accepting his physical limitation and the associated Karma, he achieves a profound insight: he distinguishes the eternal nature of the soul from the transient states of the body and mind. This realization is so powerful that it instantaneously destroys all defiling Karmas, and he attains omniscience (Keval-jnän) while still eating.

The attainment of omniscience is marked by the arrival of heavenly beings to pay homage. The other monks, initially believing the celestial visitors are there to honor their severe austerities, are astonished to see them bowing to Kurgadu. They question Acharya Dharmaghosh-suri about this apparent paradox. The Acharya explains that the other monks were filled with pride from their austerities and were judging Kurgadu, thus obscuring their right perception. He emphasizes that the true purpose of austerities is to cultivate modesty, which leads to right perception and equanimity. Kurgadu, on the other hand, had truly understood the essence of religion. He had an obstructing Karma that prevented him from fasting, and his sincere repentance for that Karma, coupled with his equanimity in bearing its consequences, helped to shed those Karmas without creating new ones.

The Acharya concludes by highlighting the vanity of pride in austerities and the importance of compassion for those who cannot observe them to the same extent. He reiterates that the soul is separate from the body, which is merely an instrument to realize the soul's true nature. The ultimate goal of religion is the understanding of the soul, and this should be pursued with compassion and without looking down upon others.