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ANTIQUITY OF JAIN MANTRAS: PINDANIRYUKTI
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ascetic who is constantly attended upon by deities pleased with him because of his severe austerities. V. 462 (p. 133) refers to miraculous powers obtained inter alia through Vidyā such as driving away or killing an opponent. V. 465 (P. 134) refers to 'Labdhi' (miraculous power obtained through development of soul). Pindaniryukti vv. 494-500 and Bhāşya v. 44 refer to Vidyā, Mantra, Cûrņa, Añjana and Yoga.
They mention as illustrations of their employment a Sādhu who obtained rich food from a very miserly and mean person through previous enchantment of his house; Padaliptasūri who cured King Murunda of severe headache by moving his index-finger round his own knee accom panied with mental recitation of Mantra; two young sādhus who became invisible by application of magical collyrium to their eyes and who used to dine with King Chandragupta unknown to him, but were discovered by Cāņakya; and Arya Samitasuri (see note p. 191 ante) who through mixture of magical powders divided the waters of the river Benā and crossed over to the opposite bank. The said passage also describes the evils likely to follow from the employment of Vidyā or Mantra viz. that the opponent might employ counter-Vidyā or Mantra and might paralyse, drive away or kill the person who first used Mantra or Vidyā; or there may be a scandal amongst the people that the person employing Vidyä or Mantra is deceitful and lives sinfully, harming others, and might be arrested, tortured, made to give up the dress of Sadhu or might be capitally punished on a complaint being made to the Government that he is a magician injuring others through magical practices. Pindaniryukti v. 499 states that there might be an exception in the case of a properly qualified person; Achārya Malayagiri in his commentary thereon says that such a person should employ Mantra for the sake of the Jain fold. This makes it quite clear that the Jain scriptures although prohibiting employment of Mantras and Vidyās generally recognise an exception and recommend employment of Mantras and Vidyās by a properly qualified person for the sake of the Sangha.
x “सङघादिप्रयोजने मन्त्रोऽपि प्रयोक्तव्य इति भावार्थः ।"
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