Svasti

SR No.: 007006
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nalini Balbir
Publisher: K S Muddappa Smaraka Trust
Publication Year: 2010
Total Pages: 446
Language: English, Hindi
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

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SVASTI - Essays in Honour of Prof. Hampa Nagarajaiah
The short sūtra, which may have been composed as a joke, is a priamel also, in so far as the Buddha here is contrasted with the 'foil' of Rāhu, Mandhāts and Māra." In the chapter on Sarvajñatā and Sarväkārajñatā of the chinese version of Nāgārjuna's Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra is contained a list of eleven agraprajñaptis, beginning with images similar to those of our poem
"among all sources of light (prabhā) the sun (āditya) is the first, among all men the noble king cakravartin is the first, among all lotuses (padma) the blue lotus (nīlotpala) is the first, among all flowers that grow on earth (sthalajapuspa) the jasmine (sumanā) ..., among all tree fragrances the gośīrsa-sandalwood ...” - and ending with the praise of Nirvāna: "among all dharmas, the nirvāna is the first.” (see above, stanza 24 with footnote 24).32.
In form of conventionalized statements the agraprajñapti always refers to the Buddha himself or to the triratna (Buddha - dharma - sangha), a fact, which may have induced the author of Sūy. I, 6, 18-24, to apply this pattern of literary style for his purpose of praising Mahāvīra by a special feature of poetry.
31 The passage culminates in two verses: Räh' aggam attabhāvinam Mandhātā kāmabhoginam Māro adhipateyyānam iddhiya yassä jalam Uddham tiriyam apăcinam yāvatā jagato gati Sadevakassa lokassa Buddho aggam pavuccatīti. AN II p. 17, Nr. 15. 32 Étienne Lamotte, Traité, tome IV, p.1753.1754 with footnote 1, has added to his French translation, which is quoted here, parallels from the Pali canon known to him: MN III, p. 6-7 (see above); SN III, p. 158; AN III, p. 364.365; V p. 21-22.