Jainism in North India

SR No.: 011067
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London
Publication Year: 1932
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 3 MB

Page 162

JAINISM IN ROYAL FAMILIES with which the Jainas held one of their greatest royal patrons, whose luistoricity, fortunately, is past all doubts Taking next the Kunika of the Jainas we find that they are not so eloquent about him as about lis father Srenika, though a lot of literature can be had which throws light on almost all the incidents connected with his life. However, leaving this fact aside, there is one thing about his career that clearly brings out the attitude of this great monarch towards both the Buddhists and the Jainas. This incident of Kunika's life is connected with his succession to the throne of Magadha. The Buddhists definitely tell us that "Bimbisara made over the charge of government to his son Ajatasatru when the latter was about to stab him with a dagger, but was seized upon by the officers. Ajatasatru however starved him to death, and afterwards expressed repentance to Buddha for his sin." 3 The Jainas, on the other hand, have got something else to offer about this very incident. According to them no doubt the parricide Ajatasatru of the Buddhists imprisoned his father and greatly ill-treated him, but the death of Srenika took place under circumstances which would draw our sympathy rather than our hatred for both the father and the son for the former for his untimely death, and for the latter for his good motives being misunderstood by the victim of this incident. The Jaina account of this tradition in brief runs as follows. Though Srenika had made up his mind that he would make Kunika his successor, the latter felt a bit impatient and suspicious, and on the advice of his brothers Kala and others imprisoned his father. 1 For Srenika's attachment towards Mahavira see afure TT, DEUTSatu, far faprapat, fent-Bhagacafi, sit 4,6, pp 6, 10, HET GA A T HU HOT KEITT .. for haft i agret - garyfyto facilitare 4A-JhiataSutra, sit 25, p 60 Cf Kalpa-Sutra, Subodhiha-Tiha, p. 20 (ofus:) TufVE TE T U FR 4f - Avasyaha-Sulra, p 681 In this way many more Buch references about Srenuha can be gathered from the Jaina canonical books, but for our purpose suffice it to say that the Jamos respect him as the first Tirthankare of the commg age vifumuria: 467 FA : -Hemacandra, op at, v 180, P 179 C Tewney, op at, p 178 About the whole of Aupapatha, the first Upanga of the Jamas, deals with Ajatasatru Besides this we get references about him in the Bhagavati, the Uoasaga-Dasao, the Antagada-Dasao, and many other places Kumka has been fully dealt with by the James Pradhan, op cit, p 214 C Rockhull, op at , pp 95 ff, Rhys Davids, Dralogues of the Buddha, pt 1, 0+, Raychaudhuri, op cit, pp 126-127, Rhys Davids (Irs), op cit, pp 109-110 119