________________
An Investigation of Textual Sources on the samavasarana
("The Holy Assembly of the Jina")
NALINI BALBIR
Introduction: 0.1. Preliminary remarks; 0.2. The Canonical samavasarana The samavasarana-tract preserved in the exegetical literature: 1.1. Contexts; 1.2. Structure and stratification: 1.3. Critical edition; 1.4. Discussion of specific issues: 1.4.1. Samavesarana as a sacred space; 1.4.2. Ritual aspect: 1.4.3. Samawasarana and Jaina dogmatics Other textual material on samavasarana: 2.1. Typological survey: 2.2. Remarks Conclusion
3.
0. INTRODUCTION 0.1. The Sanskrit word samavasarana is a technical term familiar to all Jainas.' In the modern Indo-Aryan languages they speak (e.g. Hindi, Gujarati) they use it as a loan-word (sometimes with the pronounciation and spelling samarasarana). It calls to their minds the event of Enlightenment (kevala-jnana), one of the main auspicious events (kalyanaka) in the Jinas' biographies followed by their preaching to the whole universe assembled on this occasion. As such it is a symbolic expression of community which is present in their daily religious life. The concept is often embodied in their temples in the form of a movable roundish silver structure consisting of three
This contribution, especially its first part, is an expansion of Nalini Balbir, Amatyako-Studien vol. I. Stuttgart 1993, p. 65, where the sama vasarana-topic has been mentioned but not dealt with at length. Over the years, it has benefited from various discussions with both Prof. K. Bruhn and Prof. C.B. Tripathi
References given in the usual Sanskrit dictionaries are only to Jaina sources (Hemacandra's Parisistaparvan in Monier-Williams, with the meaning "descent (of a Jina from heaven to earth) or place of descent"; Somadeva's Yafastilakacampu in Schmidt's Nachträge to the Petersburg Dictionary, Apte gives the same meanings as Monier-Williams without any reference), and to Buddhist sources. On samavasarana in Buddhist Sanskrit, see Edgerton's Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary S.V.
M. Carrithers and C. Humphrey, Introduction (p. 2) to The Assembly of Usters. Jains in Sociery. Cambridge University Press 1991; M. Banks, Organizing Jainism in India and England. Oxford 1992, p. 77-78.
Festschrift Klaus Bruhn, Sul (1994) pp. 67-104.
