The Story of Metarya Muni

Metarya Muni was a Jain monk born into an untouchable caste but highly revered for his pure spiritual practice. One day, he went to the house of a royal goldsmith for alms. The goldsmith was working on extremely precious diamonds for the King.

The goldsmith went inside to fetch food for the monk. While he was away, a pet crane (a bird) hopped over, mistook the sparkling diamonds for seeds, and swallowed them.

When the goldsmith returned and found the diamonds missing, he panicked. Seeing no one else but the monk, he accused Metarya Muni of stealing them. The monk remained completely silent.

Metarya Muni knew that if he told the truth, the angry goldsmith would instantly kill the innocent bird to retrieve the royal diamonds. Upholding his vow of absolute Ahimsa (non-violence), the monk chose to protect the bird's life at the cost of his own.

The goldsmith, terrified of the King's wrath, brutally tortured the monk. He took a band of wet leather, tied it tightly around the monk's head, and left him in the blazing sun. As the leather dried, it shrank, crushing the monk's skull.

Metarya Muni endured the agonizing pain with perfect equanimity, focusing his mind on the pure soul. He attained Keval Gyan (omniscience) and passed away. Moments later, the goldsmith accidentally hit the bird, which vomited the diamonds, revealing the monk's supreme sacrifice.