Agam 05 Ang 05 Study Of Bhagvati Vyakhya Prajnapti Sutra

Author(s): Suzuko Ohira
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

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9.416-18 (X) and Pudgala in XI.12.435 (cf. C-1c-5). Skandaka in 1.1.90-95 (cf. A-1-1, C-1b, D-2a-3) is to be born in Acyuta Kalpa, then in Mahavideha to attain mokşa. Somila in X V1.10.645-46 (cf. C-1b, D-2b-4) is told to be first born in Saudharma, then in Mahavideha to achieve liberation. Go'sala in XV (cf. F1-4) who dies by avowing his errors is to attain Acyuta Kalpa, then going through all the other forms of existence, he is finally released from samsara. King Isana (his past as bala-tapasvi Mauryaputra in 1.1.133-40; cf. A-3-3) and King Camara (his past as bala-tapasvi Purana in 1.2.141-48; cf. A-3-4) are predicted to be born in Mahavideha to attain salvation.
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In allotting rebirth or liberation to these heroes and heroines, the canonical authors discriminated least between the long standing orthodox Jaina ascetics and the newly converted ascetics. The punishment of a dissident for nihnava is very heavy, which is a universal practice in any institution. Go'sala who is said in XV to be MV's disciple is here treated like a nihnava case. MV's followers honoured Parsva's followers who were apparently the minority, but they did not seem to have ever mixed with each other.
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TL
These stories relevant to various classes of people are reducible to several typestories or case-stories such as ascetics stories, laymen stories, heretical stories, historical stories, conversion stories, and nihnava stories, upon the basis of which the Jaina authors continued to compose numerous stories and episodes in the canonical and post-canonical ages. And the canonical authors, as a rule, offer a full account of a certain type-story only at the beginning, then in giving a similar description later, they simply refer to it in order to avoid repetitions. The Third Valabhi Council is responsible for this varnaka method. Varga style is a typical example developed from a similar mode of composition, which is also adopted in writing philosophical treatises. This technique naturally developed in the late canonical age while reworking or compiling the earlier materials. Some of these Bhagavati stories record various heretical practices of penance prevalent in the classical period, which are valuable materials from the historical point of view.