An Investigation Of Textual Sources On Samavasarana

Author(s): Nalini Balbir
Publisher: Nalini Balbir

Page 18

NALINI BALBIR
is considered as able to repel enemies in the form of wrong belief." Elsewhere, the vedika.s are said to destroy all obstacles, the main temple is said to annihilate all sins, and the stairs which lead towards it are equated with the (figurative) steps (technical term freni) which lead to ultimate release." The full auspicious jars are, so to say, ready to sprinkle with water the believers dried up by illusion, and the jars filled with incense have been made by the gods to destroy the bitings of misfortunes." The wish of some writers to introduce poetical embellisments (in this case utpreksa.s marked with iva) may be responsible for such equations.
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In fact, writers seem to have attached less importance to this type of identification than to those stressing the parallel between the samavasarana as a microcosm and the macrocosmos. They are found in works of all categories: see, for instance, the Digambara Santinathapuraṇa (15.41) where the samavasarana is said to be known under one hundred names, one of which is triloka-sära, "an essence of the three worlds". The structure of the samavasarana with concentric circles and the Jina at the centre remind the authors of the Jambudvipa. In the Adipurăṇa, Jinasena stresses the connection between the central aśoka-tree and the rose apple tree of Jambudvipa (22.186), or between the small stupa.s found in the Digambara samavasarana and Meru (22.265). Elsewhere the correspondences concern some specific component of the samavasarana: the three umbrellas are meant to praise the magnificence of the three worlds; the four doors leading to the centre are there as if to invite the four guardians of the directions." The actual shape of the samavasarana-structure does not appear to be a basic point and is of no consequence in this regard: the theoretical tract does not specify it. The Trilokaprajñapti (one of the earliest texts) indicates that Rṣabha's samavasarana is "as round as the disc of the sun"," but from other texts and pictorial representations we know that it can be either round (vṛtta) or square (caturasra)." The first one is better attested, but both are actually two different ways
91 micchatta-sattu-vikkhobha-dakkham akkhanda-bhānu-bimba-samam jantina ya kamalövari thāvijjai dhammavaracakkam (Gunacandra, Mahaviracariya vs. 14 p. 252a).
Raidhu, Sammaijinacariu 6.9.30, 35-36.
Mallinathacaritra 5.302 and 304.
"Mallinathacaritra 5.307 or the Sanskrit version of the Kuvalayamälä vs. 234.
Mallinathacaritra 5.300.
Trilokaprajñapti 4.716: ravimandalam vva vaļā.
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97 E.g. Vividhatirthakalpa No. 46 vs. 19; Dharmaghosasüri, Samavasaranastotra vs. 5; Lokaprakasa 30.574; U.P. Shah, Jaina-rupa-mandana p. 25; ubi alla.
AN INVESTIGATION OF TEXTUAL SOURCES ON THE SAMAVASARANA of representing the same idea of an oriented sacred space."
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2.2.3. The Śvetämbara passages listed in 2.1.1 clearly appear as the application of the model provided by the samavasarana-tract, as is seen, for instance, from the use of the same specialized vocabulary. Thus they provide an instance for the study of repetition cum variation in the process of re-writing. The ritual aspect and the filling up of the sacred space, which emerge as fundamental features of the theoretical tract, give precedence to the description of decorative and architectural elements (banners, auspicious symbols, step-wells, parks) to the extent that several writers take this opportunity to exhibit their ability as poets (long compounds, alliterations, similes, etc.). Noteworthy is the growing tendency to mention individual gods with their attributes." In many cases, the orientation of the sacred space is not described carefully or is conspicuous by its absence. Its presence or absence cannot be accounted for in terms of chronology. Hemacandra, 12th cent., is more faithful in this respect to the old model than Silänka, 9th cent. Hemacandra exhibits his faithfulness to tradition by stating the presents to be offered to the person who brings the news of the samavasarana (see above 1.4.3), by keeping to the traditional numbers, 10 or by systematically taking into account the ritual of the bali (see above 1.4.2). These points are not dealt with in other samavasaraṇa-texts which all show a tendency towards selection instead of exhaustiveness. The almost constantly recurring elements are the characteristics of the Jina's voice and speech, 103 and the three replicas resulting from his personal supernatural power. 104 The halo behind the Jina (bhamandala) is repeatedly mentioned, 105 Together with the preceding elements, it serves to enhance
On the possible origin of the square shape of the samavasarana, see the discussion in U.P. Shah, Jaina-rupa-mandana, p. 25; and, more generally, S. Kramrisch, The Hindu temple. University of Calcutta 1946, vol. 1, p. 22.
99 See above 2.1.3 and 2.1.5; Lokaprakasa 30.542ff.; 560-562.
100 Parisistaparvan 1.38 (paritoşika); and each samavasarana-passage of the Trişaşṭisaläkāpuruşacarita; Bhāvadevasüri, Pärtvanäthacarita 6.244.
101 Cakravarti donor: Trişaṣṭiśalakāpuruşacarita, Johnson's translation vol. 2 p. 97; Baladeva or Vasudeva donor: Johnson's translation vol. 3 p. 85, 105, 125, 149; etc.
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E.g. Trişaştisalakāpuruşacarita, Johnson's translation vol. 1 p. 210-211; vol. 2 p. 129, 251, 265; vol. 3 p. 59.
Vasudevahindi 342.9; Kuvalayamälä 97.23; etc.
104 Kuvalayamälä 97.14; Pärsvanathacarita 6.235; etc.
Paumacariya 2.53; Kuvalayamālā 97.8; Cauppannamahäpurisacariya p. 300; Mallinathacaritra 5.321; Parsvanathacarita 6.236.