Shramanopasak Ambad Parivrajak

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Shramanopasak Ambad Parivrajak":

The text details a discourse between Lord Mahavir and his chief disciple, Gautama Swami, regarding a Brahmin ascetic named Ambad.

Lord Mahavir had spent his thirtieth year-quarter in Vanijyagram. Afterwards, he journeyed through various cities and eventually arrived in the Panchal region, residing in the Sahasramravan forest outside Kampilyapur.

In Kampilyapur, there was a Brahmin ascetic named Ambad who had seven hundred disciples. Ambad and his disciples had become followers of the Jain faith through Lord Mahavir's teachings. Despite his external appearance and customs as a wandering ascetic, Ambad observed the vows and disciplines appropriate for a lay follower of Jainism (Shravaka).

Gautama Swami had heard accounts about Ambad in Kampilyapur, which caused him some doubt. He asked Lord Mahavir about the claims that Ambad the ascetic simultaneously eats meals in one hundred houses and resides in one hundred houses in Kampilyapur, questioning how this was possible.

Lord Mahavir confirmed that the people's accounts were indeed true. He explained that Ambad is a virtuous and well-behaved person who constantly practices fasting for six days at a time (chhah-chhah tapas) and performs austerities standing in intense heat. Through this arduous penance, good intentions, and pure spiritual disposition (leshya-shuddhi), Ambad had destroyed or pacified significant karmas. As a result, he had attained powers like Vaiya-labdhi (power of healing or service) and Avadhi-jnana (clairvoyance). Using these attained powers, Ambad could manifest one hundred of his forms to reside in and dine in one hundred houses, thus astonishing the populace.

Gautama Swami then inquired if Ambad the ascetic was worthy of taking initiation into the Nirgrantha (Jain monastic) order and becoming Lord Mahavir's disciple.

Lord Mahavir stated that Ambad would not become his monastic disciple. Instead, he explained that Ambad is a true follower of the Jain principles concerning the soul and non-soul (Jiva-Ajiva etc.) and would remain a lay follower (Shramanopasak). Lord Mahavir then elaborated on Ambad's strict adherence to Jain principles:

• Renunciations: Ambad has abandoned gross violence, falsehood, and stealing. He is completely celibate and content.
• Practices:
  • He does not enter any water bodies (wells, rivers, etc.) on his travel path, except for water that is in his path.
  • He does not travel by any vehicles like chariots, palanquins, or ride on animals such as horses, elephants, camels, oxen, buffaloes, or donkeys.
  • He does not watch dramas, plays, or other forms of entertainment.
  • He abstains from worldly conversations such as those about women, food, kingdoms, royalty, or thieves, and any other pointless discussions.
  • He does not cut, break, or touch green vegetation.
  • He does not possess any metallic vessels made of iron, tin, copper, silver, or gold, apart from a gourd (tumbda), wooden vessel, or earthen pot.
  • He wears only one ochre-colored cloth and no other colored garments.
  • He wears only a copper ring and no other ornaments like necklaces, half-necklaces, bracelets, pearl strings, waistbands, rings, armlets, earrings, or crowns.
  • He does not apply any perfumed pastes or powders like agar, sandalwood, or kumkum to his body, except for soil from the Ganges river.
  • He does not accept food that is prepared for him, brought to him, bought by him, or is otherwise impure.
  • He refrains from the four types of harmful conduct: malicious thoughts (ap-dhyan), negligence (pramadacharit), promoting violence (hims-pradan), and giving instruction in sinful deeds (pap-karmopadesh).
  • He diligently filters water during the day, consuming about one 'Adhak' measure of clean water, and accepts water provided by others for drinking or washing hands and feet, totaling about half an 'Adhak' measure. However, he never collects water himself from any source.
  • He exclusively worships and bows to the Tirthankaras established by Lord Jinseveshvar, and not to deities of other sects or objects possessed by non-Jains.

Gautama Swami then asked about Ambad's future destination after the completion of his life.

Lord Mahavir replied that Ambad, through his practice of various vows (small and large, virtue vows, periodical fasting vows) and self-contemplation for many years as a lay follower, and by relinquishing his body through a month-long fast (anashana), would attain the state of a deity in Brahmaloka (the Brahma Heaven). After experiencing the divine pleasures there, he would eventually be reborn as a human in Mahavideha and achieve liberation (Siddhi).

The text concludes by summarizing the essence of Ambad's adherence to Jain principles and offering a lesson to contemporary lay followers. It emphasizes that the attainment of liberation is through knowledge, perception, and conduct, not merely external appearance. Ambad's exemplary conduct, rooted in his father's teachings and his unwavering devotion to Lord Jinseveshvar's pure religion, serves as a significant lesson for present-day Jains, particularly regarding renunciation and possessions.