Anand and Gautamswami - A Moral Story

Anand and Gautamswami - A Moral Story

The story of Anand, a householder who attains divine knowledge, and the humility of Gautamswami in admitting his mistake, taught by Lord Mahavira.

Introduction

Anand was a wealthy householder living in the city of Vanijya. He had the wealth of a king and was respected by all. One day, Anand attended a sermon by Lord Mahavira and decided to accept the twelve vows of a householder. After fourteen years of following these vows, he decided to retire and spend the rest of his life in meditation. Through his deep austerities, he attained Avadhijnan (Limited Divine Knowledge).

The Encounter with Gautamswami

At this time, Gautamswami, Lord Mahavira's disciple, was asking for alms. He learned that Anand had attained divine knowledge and went to meet him. Anand, lying on his bed, saluted Gautamswami and told him that he could see up to the 12th Devloka (celestial realm). Gautamswami, surprised, thought it was impossible for a householder to attain such knowledge and accused Anand of lying. Anand, in his humility, assured Gautamswami that he was speaking the truth.

Gautamswami’s Mistake

Despite Anand's assurance, Gautamswami was not convinced. He reported the discussion to Lord Mahavira, who responded that Anand was indeed correct. It was Gautamswami who had misunderstood the situation. Lord Mahavira asked Gautamswami to seek forgiveness from Anand.

Gautamswami’s Apology

Gautamswami went to Anand and humbly apologized for his mistake, acknowledging that he had been wrong. Anand, being a wise and humble person, accepted the apology with grace.

Pearls of Wisdom

1. What can we learn from this story?

The story teaches us three important aspects of behavior:

• a. Anand, even though knowing Gautamswami was mistaken, brought it to his notice in a humble manner.
• b. Gautamswami, after realizing his mistake, went to Anand and asked for forgiveness. He showed no ego despite his status as an accomplished monk.
• c. Lord Mahavira upheld the truth and did not defend Gautamswami's mistake. He instructed him to apologize to Anand.

🌟 Moral: The story teaches us humility, the ability to admit our mistakes, and the importance of upholding the truth, no matter the situation. 🌟

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