Religion and Culture of the Jains

SR No.: 014007
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: D C Sirkar
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1973
Total Pages: 168
Language: English
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 10 MB

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RELIGION AND CULTURE OF THE JAINS
bodily marks, portents, and omens. In the same Sūtra, we are told: “Some men...study various evil sciences, viz. [the divination) from terrestrial accidents, frum strange phenomena (e.g., the laughing of monkeys), from dreams, from phenomena in the air, from changes in the body, from sounds, from mystical science* (lakṣaṇa, such as, svastika, etc.), from seeds (sesamum, beans, etc.) ; [the interpretation of] the marks of women, men, elephants, cows, partridges, cocks, ducks, quails, of wheels, parasols, shields, sticks, swords, precious stones, jewels; the art to make one happy or miserable, to make a woman pregnant, to deprive one of his wits ; incantations, conjuring (indrajāla), oblations of substances, the martial arts, the course of the Moon, the Sun, Venus and Jupiter, the falling of meteors ; great conflagration ; divination from wild animals, the flight of crows, showers of dust, rain of blood, the vaitāli and ardhavaitāli arts, the art of casting people asleep, of opening doors, the art of Cāņdālas, of Sabaras, of Dravidas, of Kalingas, of Gaudas and of Gāndhāras; the spell for making somebody fall down, rise, yawn ; for making him immovable or cling to something; for making him sick, or sound; for making somebody go forth, disappear (or come).”Such practices are not approved by the author of the text: “They practice a wrong science, the unworthy, the mistaken men."10 Elsewhere it is said, “The stupid singers... go to hell through their superstitious beliefs."11
And again, "Perfection is not attained by ablutions or tending a fire.":12 Reference occurs in the Sūtrakstānga to auspicious rites and expiatory acts for counteracting bad dreams, 18 making an offering to the house gods, 14 the prac
8 Ibid., Part II, p. 317. [Read 'signs'. Ed.] 9 Ibid., pp. 366-67. 10 Ibid., p. 367. 11 Ibid., Part I, p. 33. 12 Ibid., Part II, pp. 294-95. 13 Ibid., p. 371. 14 Loc. cit.