Comprehensive History Of Jainism

SR No.: 022803
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Aseem Kumar Chatterjee
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 28 MB

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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF JAINISM
before the birth of Mahāvīra. This particular śataka contains the poignant account103 of Mahāvīra's meeting with Devānandā, his mother, which we have already discussed in the account of Mahāvīra's life. We are further told that Lord Mahāvira converted his mother to the Nirgrantha religion and she became a nun under Aryā Candanā.104 The most important section of this śataka is however that dealing with Jamāli, 105 which has already been briefly discussed in connection with the discussion on the life of Mahāvīra. There is nothing here to indicate that he was the son-in-law of Mahāvīra. Like the Master, he too belonged to the KșatriyaKundagrāma. In this section 106 some festivals, connected with Indra, Skanda, Mukunda, Näga, etc. are also mentioned. There is a reference to Chinese silk 107 and to the stick of Indra108 which was obviously used in the Indra-festival. The tenth śataka has little of any importance, but the eleventh is full of interesting things. Mahāvīra's visit to Hastināpura is recorded here, 109 which at that time, was probably a mere village. Here also, there are references to such terms as pecchāgharalo (i.e., prekṣāgrha) and rangasthāna,' which must indicate that drama, as a form of entertainment, was very popular in those days. There is also the term yavanikā, 112 which also occurs elsewhere in the Jaina canon. Let us not forget that even in the Brahmajāla Sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya the term prekṣāgîha is conspicuous by its presence and one of the monks under the Buddha was an actor in his earlier life.113 The town of Alabhiyā, which is mentioned more than once in this sataka'14 was often visited by the Buddha."15 Lord Mahāvīra too, according to this sataka visited this town, and an account of the conversion of Poggala Parivrājaka is also given. The twelfth śataka records the account of Mahāvīra's visit to Kaušāmbi during the reign of Udayana. This king, according to the Bhagavatī, was the daughter's son (dauhitra) of Cetaka of Vaisāli.16 This statement gets unexpected confirmation from one of the plays of Bhāsa"7 where Udayana is called the son of Vaidehi, and Vaiśāli was at that time include in Videha janapada. We must also remember that another daughter of Cetaka, Cellaņā, was the mother of Ajātaśatru and this prince is frequently called Vedehiputta in the Pāli texts. 118 The sataka further represents Jayanti, a sister of Satānika, as a great devotee of Lord Mahāvīra. The thirteenth śataka encapsulates the story of Mahāvīra's visit to Vītībhaya, 119 the capital of Sindhu-Sauvīra. We are told that the Master travelled all the way from Campā to Vītībhaya in order to convert the king of Sindhu