Pravachanasara

SR No.: 003289
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram
Publication Year: 1964
Total Pages: 612
Language: Hindi, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 16 MB

Page 71

Pravacanasara
sitory; the soul alone is eternal and above all these (1-7). 2. No external things like gems, medicines, armies and weapons can rescue the soul from death; the only shelter is the self itself which is the seat of five dignitaries and an abode of Right faith, knowledge, conduct and austerities (8-13). 3. The soul is alone, alone responsible for the fruits of the acts done (14-20). 4. Relatives, friends and this body: all these constitute the object external, and are absolutely separate from the soul which is an embodiment of faith and knowledge (21-3). 5. The soul is wandering in samsara suffering many miseries with false motives and pretended attachments; the soul, when it is free from karmas, gets out of samsara (24-38). 6. This universe is threefold with hells below and heavens above that are the consequences of inauspicious and auspicious manifestations of conciousness; when there is pure manifestation, liberation is attained (39-42). 7. Everything in this world is impure, and the soul alone, when free from karman, is pure and an abode of eternal happiness (43-46). 8. Mithyätva, vowlessness, passions and various activities are the causes. of karmic influx which is the cause of samsara; so these causes should be removed (47-60). 9. Such religious activities, which counteract the karmic influx, should be reflected upon (61-65). 10. Further the twofold way of shedding the karmic matter should be considered (66-67). 11. Then 11 pratimas of a house-holder and 10 dharmas of a monk should be considered; the internal and external attachment should be given up, and one should meditate on the pure nature of the self (68-82). 12. Enlightenment is rare, so one should reflect on the means of attaining it (83-86). Reflection on these 12 topics is spiritually fruitful, and leads one to liberation. The subject has been thus treated, from ordinary and real points of view, by the preceptor Kundakunda (87-91).
38
CRITICAL REMARKS ON BARASA-ANUVEKKHA.-The text of Bārasa-Aṇuvěkkhā is not definite; as I have seen from comparison the number of gathās varies from MS. to MS.; even the last gathā, in which Kundakunda's name is mentioned is not found in some MSS. Whether the last gatha is composed by Kundakunda or not cannot be said at this stage, but this much is certain that the tradition is uniform in attributing this work to Kundakunda. There is an appearance of antiquity about the text: some of the gathās are common with the 8th chapter of Mulācāra which possibly indicates that these verses are traditionally inherited; five gathäs from this work are quoted, in the same order, in Sarvarthasiddhi by Pujyapada; and the method of exposition is quite traditional and dogmatic. Many ideas and even sentences from this book are taken and elaborated in later texts on anuprekṣā. NIYAMASARA1: It contains 187 gathãs according to the text preserved [p.41:] in the Sk. commentary of Padmaprabha Maladharideva. The author has compo
1 Published by Jaina Grantharatnākara Karyalaya, Bombay 1916; this edition is accompanied by the Sk. commentary of Padmaprabha Maladharideva and a Hindi translation of the same by Br. Shitalprasadaji. Ed. with English Translation etc. by Uggarsain, S.B.J. vol. IX, Lucknow 1931. As to the date of Padmaprabha, I would indicate here only the tentative limits of his age. In the introductory verses he mentions Siddhasena, Pujyapada, Bhaṭṭakalanka and Viranandi-vratindra. It is necessary to see who is this Viranandi. We know two Viranandis, one the author of Candraprabhacarita who flourished earlier than 1025 A. D., as Vādīrāja refers to him in his Pārsvanathacarita composed in that year; the second Viranandi, the author of Acarasāra, comes much later