एक बौद्ध ब्रह्मचारी था। अवस्था बीस वर्षकी होगी । चतुर तो था ही, ज्ञानार्जनमें भी कुशल और तत्पर था। वह अपनी प्रशंसाके लिये अनेक कलाओंका अभ्यास करना चाहता था और एतदर्थ वह कई देशों में घूमता रहा। एक व्यक्तिको उसने बाण बनाते देखा और उससे बाण बनानेकी कला सीख ली। इसी प्रकार एक दूसरे देशमें जाकर उसने जहाज बनानेकी – नौ निर्माण- कला सीख ली। एक तीसरे देशमें जाकर गृह निर्माण – कला भी सीख ली। इसी प्रकार वह सोलह देशोंमें गया और वहाँसे अनेक कलाओंका विशारद होकर लौटा। वह अपने देशमें पहुँचा तो प्रायः अहंकारसे लोगोंसे पूछ बैठता- ‘पृथ्वीपर है मुझ जैसा कोई चतुर व्यक्ति ?’
भगवान् बुद्धको इस युवा ब्रह्मचारीकी दशापर दया आयी। उन्होंने उसे एक उच्चतर कला सिखानी चाही। वे एक वृद्ध श्रमणका वेष बनाकर हाथमें भिक्षापात्रलिये उसके सामने उपस्थित हुए ।
‘कौन हो तुम?’ ब्रह्मचारीने बड़े अभिमानसे पूछा । ‘मैं आत्मविजयका पथिक हूँ।’ भगवान्ने कहा।
‘क्या अर्थ है तुम्हारे इस कथनका ?’
‘इषुकार बाण बना लेता है, नौचालक जहाजपर नियन्त्रण रख लेता है। गृहनिर्माता घर भी बना लेता है। पर यह तो महाविद्वान्का ही कार्य है जो अपने शरीरपर, मनपर नियन्त्रण रख सके- आत्मविजय पा सके ।’
‘किस प्रकार ?’ युवकने प्रश्न किया ।
‘यदि संसार उसकी प्रशंसाके गीत गाता है तो उसका मन शान्त स्थिर है। यदि संसार उसे गाली देता है, तब भी उसका दिल-दिमाग ठीक है। जो ऐसा है, वही साधक शान्ति तथा निर्वाणको प्राप्त करता है-न कि प्रशंसाका इच्छुक ।’ उत्तर था भगवान्का । वह समझ गया अपनी भूलको । — जा0 श0
There was a Buddhist celibate. The stage will be twenty years old. Not only was he clever, he was also skilled and ready to acquire knowledge. He wanted to practice many arts for his praise and for this he kept roaming in many countries. He saw a person making arrows and learned the art of making arrows from him. Similarly, by going to another country, he learned the art of ship-building. Went to a third country and learned the art of house building. Similarly, he went to sixteen countries and returned from there having become a master of many arts. When he reached his country, he used to ask people arrogantly – ‘Is there any clever person like me on earth?’
Lord Buddha felt pity on the condition of this young celibate. He wanted to teach him a higher art. He disguised himself as an old sage and appeared before him with a begging bowl in his hand.
‘Who are you?’ Brahmachari asked with great pride. ‘I am a traveler of self-conquest.’ God said.
‘What do you mean by this statement of yours?’
‘Ishukar makes arrows, the navigator controls the ship. The home builder also builds the house. But this is the task of a great scholar who can control his body and mind and attain self-victory.
‘which type ?’ The young man asked a question.
‘If the world sings songs of his praise, his mind is at peace. Even if the world abuses him, his mind and heart are right. The seeker who is like this attains peace and Nirvana – not the seeker of praise.’ The answer was of God. He understood his mistake. Ja0 Sh0
