Early Jainism

SR No.: 001520
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: K K Dixit
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 120
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & Philosophy
File Size: 7 MB

Page 71

CHAPTER VÍ
THE FIVE ANGA TEXTS OF THE FORM OF A STORY-COLLECTION
Five Anga-tex's--viz. Jñätadharmakathā, Upasakadaśa, Antakrddaśā, Anuttaraupapātikadaśā, Vipākaśruta--are of the form of a collection of stories. But with a view to appreciating their proper historical significance certain other canonical texts containing stories too have to be kept in mind. Thus five Upanga-texts--viz. Nirayāvalikā, Kalpavatamsikā, Puşpikā, Puşpacülā, Vrsidašā-are exclusively of the form of a collection of stories while the Anga-text Bhagavati has some 18 stories - big and small-scattered in its different parts. A noteworthy thing about so many of these stories is that they possess virtually no independent plot of their own; sometimes they differ from one another only in having a different name for their heroes, sometimes in respect of a minor detail about the doings of these heroes. Thus these stories are purported to narrate how a particular person renounced the world, became a Jaina monk, studied such and such scriptural texts, performed such and such penances, undertook fast-unto-death for so many days, and eventually attained mokṣa or rebirth in a particular heaven. Naturally it would have been tedious to repeat these details in the case of each of the stories in question and as a matter of fact they are actually offered only rarely (e.g. in the Skandaka-story of Bhagavati, the Meghakumāra-story of Jñātadharmakathā); in the remaining cases these details are just hinted at. Even so, the question remains to be asked as to why these stereotyped stories were composed at all and in so large a number; and the answer to it throws light on certain historical matters.
The stereotyped stories under consideration occur in two Anga-texts Adtakrt and Aduttaraupapātika and four Upānga-texts Kalpāvatamsikā, Puspikā, Puspacūlā, and Vșşnidasā; (in the Upanga-texts Nirayavalikā the stereotype is altogether different but it is all the same used to yield ten stories on the basis of just one). Thus Antakịt consists of 8 vargas respectively contajaing 10, 8, 13, 10, 10, 16, 18 stories - 80 is a text containing 85 stories in all; but of these only the following four are stories with an independent plot :
1. Gajasukumāra (Varga 3) 2. Padmāyati (Varga 5) 3. Mudgarapāņi (Varga 6) 4. Atimukta (Varga 6)