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'Nataputta' in Early Nirgrantha Literature
fe मधुकथासु समयम्हि नातसुते विसोगे अक्खु । एताति से उरालाति गच्छति नातपुते असरणाए ॥
In the Sutrakṛtānga (Book 1), several important references (c. 3rd-2nd cent. B. C.) containing this appelation occur : moreover, the variant 'Natiputta', and the abbreviation 'Nata', besides the usual ‘Nataputta' also figure.
उच्चावतानि गच्छंता गन्भमेस्संतऽनंतसो । नातपुते महावीरे एवमाह जिनोत्तमे ||
- आचारांग, प्रथम स्कन्ध, ९.१.५०.
जे एत चरंति आहितं नातेनं महता महेसिणा । उट्ठित ते समुट्ठिता अन्नोन्नं सारंति धम्मओ ॥
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एवं से उदाहु अनुत्तरनाणी अनुत्तरदंसी अनुत्तरनाणदंसनधरे अरहा नातपुते भगवं वेसालीए वियाहिते ॥
121
— सूत्रकृतांग १.२.३.२२. (The variant ‘Natiputta' is the result of pronouncing 'Jnatr' as Jnatri' as is done in Hindi, Banglā, etc., and not as Jnatru' or 'Jñatra ( rural ) ' as rendered in Gujarati, Oriya, etc.)
Also in the "Mahavira-stava" (c. 2nd cent. B. C.) inside the selfsame agama, a question is thus asked in regard to Nätaputta's knowledge and insights: कतं च नाणं तं दंसनं से सीलं कतं नातसुतस्स आसी । नासिनं भिक्खु जथातथेनं अथासुतं ब्रूहि जथा निसंतं ॥
सुदंसन सेस जसो गिरिस्स पवुच्चती महतो पव्वतस्स । एतोवमे समणे नातत्ते जाती - जसो - दंसन-नाणसीले ||
- सूत्रकृतांग १.१.२.२७.
- सूत्रकृतांग १.२.२.२६.
— सूत्रकृतांग १.६.२
Next, in the same hymn, Nataputta's dimensions of glory are compared with those of the Sudarsana-giri ( Sumeru-parvata) :
दानान सेट्ठ अभयप्पदानं सच्चेसु या अणवज्जं वदंति । तवे या उत्तम बंभचेरं लोगुत्तमे भगवं नातपुते ॥
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— सूत्रकृतांग १.६.१४
And thereafter it is said: "Just as lending protection (abhayadāna) is best of helps, an unhurting right utterance is best in the category of truth-telling, and celebacy (brahmacarya) is best among austerities, so is best Bhagavan Nataputta among the world :”
— सूत्रकृतांग १.६.२३ www.jainelibrary.org
