Monks and Acharyas
Ratnakarsuri's Twenty-Five Verses
रत्नाकर पच्चीसी · રત્નાકર પચ્ચીસી
A ghee seller asks the same question for six months, and a great teacher finally hears it
- 4 min full story
- 2 min children's telling
- For all ages
- Shvetambar telling
A brilliant acharya, honoured by a king, has slowly slipped into comfort. A quiet ghee merchant asks him to explain one verse, again and again, and the answer the acharya finally gives changes his life.
What it teaches Humility Non-possessiveness Confession
The opening of the children's telling
Long ago there was a very clever monk named Ratnakarsuri. He knew so many things, and everyone loved to listen to him. The king gave him presents, and people gave him soft cloth, yummy food and shiny jewels. Little by little, the monk began to keep all these things, even though a monk is meant to have nothing.
One day a kind man came to town to sell ghee. His name was Kundaliyo. He saw the monk with all his fancy things, and he felt sad. But he did not say anything unkind.
Read the whole story See plans
To carry into the day
A gentle question asked with respect can open a door that a harsh word would slam shut.
To talk about together
Why do you think Kundaliyo kept asking the same question instead of telling the acharya he was wrong?
Retold for JainStory from the traditional narrative and checked against published Jain sources. Details vary between tellings.