Vipul And Vijan

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Vipul and Vijan":

The story "Vipul and Vijan" is a moral tale from Jain tradition, published by the JAINA Education Committee. It explores the concept of karma and how one's actions, thoughts, and spiritual devotion can alter destiny.

The story begins with Vipul and Vijan, two friends who get lost in a forest while traveling to the town of Pratisthän. They stumble upon a hut inhabited by a hermit renowned for predicting the future. After the hermit completes his meditation, Vipul and Vijan explain their predicament. The compassionate hermit offers them shelter and sustenance.

The next morning, as they prepare to leave, Vipul and Vijan insist on knowing their future. The hermit initially hesitates, stating that knowing one's future is not always advisable and predictions can be inaccurate. However, under their persistent requests, he reveals their fates: Vipul will become a king within a year, while Vijan will die at the hands of an assassin during the same period.

Upon leaving the forest, Vipul is filled with joy and begins to act arrogantly, boasting about his future kingship and threatening to punish those who displease him. In contrast, Vijan, a teacher, remains humble, dedicates himself to his work, engages in prayer and social service, and accepts his fate with equanimity, overcoming his fear of death.

Six months later, Vipul, still expecting his kingship, asks Vijan to accompany him to scout a location for his future palace. While surveying a desolate area, Vipul discovers a pot filled with gold coins, which he intends to use for a crown. Suddenly, a robber emerges, attempting to steal the gold. Vijan intervenes to protect Vipul and is wounded by the robber's dagger. Vipul offers Vijan half the gold, but Vijan refuses, believing he will soon die and have no use for it. Vipul, however, squanders the gold on frivolous pursuits like eating and drinking.

A full year passes. Vipul does not become king, and Vijan does not die. Disappointed and confused, both friends return to the hermit for an explanation. The hermit explains that Vipul's destiny changed due to his "thoughtless actions" and arrogance; the kingship he was destined for was reduced to a mere pot of gold, which he then misused. Conversely, Vijan's destiny was positively altered by his "prayers, humility, and trust in religion." His predicted death by assassination was transformed into a minor wound.

The hermit concludes by emphasizing that destiny is driven by karma, which is governed by thoughts and deeds in this and past lives. The story highlights that Vipul's arrogance and materialistic indulgence led to bad karma, negatively impacting his future. In contrast, Vijan's humility, prayers, and faith resulted in good karma, leading to a positive outcome. The moral of the story is that individuals should strive to cultivate good karma through their behavior to promote positive outcomes in their current and future lives.