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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
V. Srimahadevīvyākaranam
This is a small manuscript of the Vyakarana class. The scene of the sutra is laid at Sukhāvati where Bhagavā seated with the Bodhisattvas only and not arhats or upasakas. Then Śrīmahādevi approaches and pays her obeisance to them. Bhagava on seeing her refers to her past merits and tells his audience that any one who would utter the Astottaraśata-vimalaprakhya-stotram (vide p. 94) addressed to the goddess Śri will have only prosperity and no loss, and the goddess Śri will dwell in his house. The stotra is given in extenso in pp. 98-99 and is followed by a mantra for worshipping her. Avalokitesvara enquires of her past merits and was told by Bhagavā that she was born long long ago in the Ratnasambhavalokadhātu when and where she used to recite the names of the Tathāgatas which are as follows: Namaḥ Śrīdhanāya Tathāgatāya, namaḥ etc. (vide p. 96-97). She was foretold that she would in ages become a Tathāgata.
course of
The Tibetan translation appears in Kanjur, rGyud, XV, the preceding text in this volume being Sarasvati Sridevi. In the Sadhanamala there are several references to the image of Sarasvati but none to Lakṣmi (vide Bhattacharya, Buddhist Iconography, p. 150) but in Bharhut stūpa there is a representation of Sirima Devatā,1 showing thereby the early date at which she was incorporated into the Buddhist pantheon.
Vyakarana of the navānga
There is large volume of literature of the Vyakarana class in the later Tripitakas but not in Pāli. This misled Buddhaghosa
I Cf. Buddhist India, p. 217: Siri, the goddess of Luck, of plenty and success.
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