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________________ JAINISM IN ROYAL FAMILIES This surmise of ours is greatly strengthened when we read from the Buddhist sources themselves of Ajatasatru being incited to get his father slain by Devadatta, "the quondam disciple and bitter foe of the Buddha," and hence "the Judas Iscariot of the Buddhist story." 1 Furthermore, commenting on the Buddhist tradition of Kunika's having repented before Buddha for his sin, Dr Rhys Davids observes: "At the close of the discourse the king is stated to have openly taken Buddha as his guide in future, and to have given expression to the remorse he felt at the murder of his father. But it is also distinctly stated that he was not converted. There is no evidence that he really, after the moment when his heart was touched, continued to follow the Buddha's teaching He never, so far as we know, waited again either upon the Buddha or upon any member of the order to discuss ethical matters, and we hear of no material support given by him to the order during the Buddha's lifetime." 2 What Buddha and Ajatasatru thought of each other is clear from the following two passages from the Buddhist literature : " Then Devadatta went to Prince Ajatasatru and said: 'Give such order, O King, to our men that I may deprive the samana Gotama of life'; and Ajatasatru the prince gave orders to his men: Whatsoever the worthy Devadatta tells you, that do l'"3 The above passage clearly shows the nature of Kunika's repentance before Lord Buddha. The following one, moreover, manifests the estimate in which the latter held the former : "Almsmen, the king of Magadha, Ajatasatru, son of the accomplished princess, is a friend to, an intimate of mixed with, whatever is eril." 4 On the other hand the Aupapatika and other Jaina sources tell us that Kunika used to go with his queens, now and then, Later when, in consequence of Asoka's patronage, Buddhism became pre-emment in Northern India, leanings towards Jainism became criminal in the eyes of ecclesiastical chroniclers, who were ready to blacken the memory of persons deemed heretical with unfounded accusations of the gravest character."-Smith, op at, pp 88, 87. Rhys Davids, Buddinst India, pp. 13-14 Cy.Rhys Davids and Oldenberg, S.B.E,xx, OD 288-265. And Devadatta went to Ajatasatru the prince and said to him: "In former days, Prince, people were long-lived, but now their term of life is short It is quute possible, therefore, that you may complete your time while you are still & prince So do you, Prince, all your father and become the Raja, and I will bull the blessed one and become Buddha "-Iord , 241 * Rhys Dands, op art, p. 15 - Vinaya Texts, pt in, 248 Rhys Davids (Mrs), op cit, P 109 121
| SR No. | 011067 |
| Book Title | Jainism in North India |
| 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 |