Facets of Jaina Religiousness in Comparative Light

SR No.: 001532
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: L M Joshi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1981
Total Pages: 88
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, Religion, & 12 Anuprekshas
File Size: 6 MB

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FACETS OF JAINA RELIGIOUSNESS
attributes of the arhat are the subject of a well-known text called Jina sahasranama or
A Thousand Names of Jina' compiled by Āśādhara in the twelfth century. A. D.? This text reminds us of some similar Buddhist texts such as the Bhadrakalpikasūtra (F. Weller, Tausend Buddhanamen des Bhadrakalpa), Mañjuśrījñānasattvasya-paramarthanāmasangiti, and Brahmanical texts, such as the Vişnusahasranama-stotra, the Sivasahasranāmastotra and the Durgāsahasranāmastotra.
The notion of arhat in Buddhism certainly helps in understanding its parallel in Jainism. One description of an arhat is found in the following two verses : "Those who have well perfected their minds in the factors of Enlightenment, who do not cling to anything, who rejoice in freedom from grasping, whose impurities have been destroyed, who are luminous, they are liberated in this world. For him who has finished his journey, for him who is without suffering, for him who is released from everything (or from all sides), for him who has destroyed all knots, the fever (of passion) does not exist."'72 The seven factors or constituents of Enlightenment (bodhyanga) referred to above are--mindfulness (smrti), investigation of the Truth (dharmavica ya), energy (virya), joy (prīti), serenity (praśrabdhi), concentration (samādhi), and equanimity (upekṣā). The knots or ties (gantha) referred to above are said to be of four kinds-covetousness (abhidhyā), ill-will (vyāpāda), indulgence in rites and ceremonies (silavrataparāmāsa), and adherence to one's preconceptions as truth (idam satyabhiniveśa).
A Mahāyānasūtra defines an arhat thus : “An arhat is one who has attained meditations, object of meditations, trances, deliverances, psychic powers, superknowledges, and who is free from defilements, sufferings, and thought-constructions" (dhyāna-dh ye ya-samadhi-vimokşa-bala-abhijñā kleśa-duḥkha-vikalpa-abhāvād arhanniti ucyate).13 We cannot here comment on these different numerical topics such as four dhyānas, four samāpattis, three or eight vimokşas, five balas and so on, but we must enumerate in passing six abhijñās or superknowledges. They are--supernormal powers (rddhi), divine ear (divya-śrotra), divine eye (divya-cakşu), knowledge of others' minds (paracittajñāna), memory of one's former existences (pūrvanivāsānusmrti), and extinction of defiling influxes (asrarakşaya).
The two strands in the conception of arhat discussed above after the Jaina texts are found mutatis mutandis in some Buddhist texts also. The arhat is exceedingly adorable and he has annihilated enemies of spiritual life. According to Ācārya
71. Edited by H.L. Jaina with Asādhara's own commentary and with the commentary of Sruta
sāgarasuri.
Dhammapada, vv. 89-90. 73 Sa:Ilharmalankāvarārasitra (Darbhanga edition), p. 49, lines 22-23.
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