recalling what they had learnt during the day, and their head, the gargarisi, as he was called, told him that before he could join their company he must become a sadhu too. Siddhasuri instantly resolved to do so : he obtained his father's permission, though with great difficulty, and was initiated on the following morning.^1 He studied Jainism deeply and became a great scholar, writing a commentary on the Upadesamala of Dharmadasagani. He then wished to study Buddhism and asked the gargarisi's permission to go to a Buddhist monastery for this purpose. The gargarisi agreed, though with misgivings, but stipulated that if ever Siddhasuri felt he was being drawn to the Buddhist faith, he should come back and see him at least once before he joined their order. It fell out as the gargarisi had feared; the Buddhists were so struck with Siddhasuri's learning that they proposed that he should turn Buddhist and become their Acarya, Remembering his promise, he returned home to see the gargarisi once again ; he was, however, engaged, and asked Siddhasuri to read a certain book, the Lalitavi- stara by Haribhadrasuri, whilst he waited. As he read it, repentance overtook him ; he was again convinced of the soundness of the Jaina faith, sought forgiveness from the gargarisi, performed the penance imposed and became a sound Jaina. Eventually he rose to the position of Acarya and strove by every means in his power to spread the faith.
Śīlaguṇa-
sūri.
The biographies of the successive leaders of the com-
munity need not detain us, but about two hundred years
later there arose a great sadhu named Silagunasuri, who
is famous as the restorer of the Cavada dynasty. Once
when wandering as a sadhu in the jungle between Wadhwan
and Kadipatana he saw a cradle hanging from a tree with
a baby in it. By his knowledge of palmistry he at once
discovered that this forlorn child would some day be a king.
The child's mother appeared and told him that she was the
^1 The Jaina now wish to institute a period of testing and training before a candidate can obtain initiation.
