Ancient Jaina Hymns

Author(s): Charlotte Krause
Publisher: SCIndia Oriental Institute Ujain

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ANCIENT JAINA HYMNS
practises severe penance, and patiently suffers hardships and persecutions, till he obtains omniscience. Only then, his activity as a Tīrthankara begins, in which he perseveres till his karman is consumed. Wherever he goes, gods and genii produce miraculous phenomena to his glorification.
Generally, 34 miraculous phenomena' of this kind are described in Jaina texts under the name of "the 34 atiśayas", which are also referred to in some of our hymns. They are as follows: (a) 4 innate atisayas : (1) His body is of exquisite beauty, always
clean, fragrant, and free from perspira
tion. (2) His breath has the fragrance of lotuses. (3) His flesh and blood are the colour of milk
and free from odour. (4) The actions of eating and of evacuating
are imperceptible to the human eye (or :
do not take place according to Digam
· bara doctrine). (6) 11 atisayas produced by exhaustion of "ghāti.
karman" : (1) One kotākoți of gods, men and animals find
place within the space of one mile around
him, to listen to his words. (2) Every living being listening to him, can un
derstand his teachings in his or her own
language within that space. (3) A su-like halo surrounds his head (1) Abhidh. I, st 57-64; Saptat., Sthāna 97.
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