Studies in Jainology Prakrit Literature and Languages

SR No.: 001597
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: B K Khadabadi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 460
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Language
File Size: 22 MB

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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
brief survey of which can be given as follows:
When the Kșapaka breathes his last, his dead body should be taken out of the samstara (the Kșapaka's bed on which he observes the great final vow), be placed on a sibikā (a bier) and be removed immediately to the previously decided nisīhiyā (nisadyaka : āradhaka- sarīra-sthapana-sthānam). If it is night time, the congregation should observe jāgarana-bandhan-chedana etc. (Keeping themselves awake, binding and cutting a part of the body like a finger). The nisīhiyā should be preferably at the South-west, the South or the West of the Ksapaka's place and it should be a secluded, pure, plane and hard ground, not very near to, nor far away from the village or town. On such a carefully selected spot, a handful of hay is to be evenly spread and the corpse is to be placed in supine position with its head towards the village or town. Beside the body should be placed the Ksapaka's water-gourd and feather-brush. Then the samgha should return and observe Kāyotsarga, sast etc. On the third day, some members of the samgha, who are well versed in the nimittaśāstra (astrology), should go to the nisihiyā, study the omens, good or bad, for the samgha and for the gaii of the Ksapaka.
Leaving aside some strange beliefs and taboos mentioned in the course of this description, the most outstanding feature that stands before our mind here is leaving or abandoning the corpse of the Ksapaka on an open space outside a village or town. Pl.Premi observes that this method of disposal of the dead body of the Ksapaka is unparallelled and has not becn mentioned in any other of the Digambara works so far available. Pl.Sadasukhaji Kasaliwal also presents similar observation;" but he points out that references to such kind of disposal of the dead are found in some of the Svetāmbara works, which information he got from some Svetambara scholars. But Prof. Walther Schubirng, who describes the Doctrine of the Jainas after the old sources of the Svetāmbara canon, clearly states “the corpse” (of the monk dying a