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JAIN MANTRAVADA AND CAITYAVASIS : JAIN EMPEROR SAMPRATI
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on the death of Asoka. (See Divyāvadāna, * XXIX Avadāna, pp. 430–433. See also Bodhisattvāvadāna Kalpalatā, Pallava 74, vv. 8-12 p. 597).
Matsyapurāņa (Adh. 272) which is considered the most reliable among Purāņas, mentions Saptati i. e. Samprati as the grand-son of Asoka and that he ruled for 10 years, and that Dasaratha, his son (i. e. Asoka's son) for eight years. The only other Purāņa which mentions Dasaratha is Visnupuräņa. It mentions 'Samyuta' (i. e. Samprati) as his successor. Bhagavata, Váyu and Brahmāndapurāna do not mention Dasaratha at all. Bhāgavata mentions Sangata and Brahmandapurana mentions Bandhupālita instead as successor to Suyasas alias Kusāla or Kunāla. It would appear from this confusion that Purāņas generally had no reliable tradition or exact information about Maurya Kings subsequent to Asoka. According to the Jain tradition Samprati was a great emperor and his kingdom extended in the north beyond Taksasila and in the south included Andhra and Dramila or Dravidian territory. This Samprati saw Arya Suhasti + when the latter was going in a religious procession (Rathayātrā) at Ujjain or Vidišā (modern Besnagar or Bhilsā a town about 120 miles to the East of Ujjain). He thereupon interviewed him. Being impressed by the deep and wonderful knowledge and religious discourse of Arya Suhasti, Samprati embraced Jainism. His life since that time shows his great zeal for
* According to Rhys David Divyāvadāna appears to have been written about 3rd century A.D.
* The earlier references to King Samprati are as follows: Bịhatkalpabhäşya (circa 6th century A.D.), Uddeśa I., vv. 3275-3289, Vol. III, pp. 917-921; BỊhatkalpacūrni p. 22; Višeşávaśyakabhāşya (circa 645 A.D.), V. 861 and commentaries thereon. See Nišithabhäşya and Niśithacūrni, v Uddeśa,(circa 6th and 7th centuries respectively), p. 191 (Ms.), and p. 437 s.y. 1995 edn.
___संपति रण्णुप्पत्ती सिरिघर उन्नाणि हेठे बोधव्वा ।
अजमहागिरि हथिप्पभिती जाणइ विसमंगो (विसंभोगो) ॥ २५९ब, भा०गा०२१४२ + अज्जमुहत्याऽऽगमणं, द; सरणं च पुच्छणा कहणा ।
पवियणम्मि य भत्ती, तो जाता संपति रण्णो ॥ ६० भा०,गा० ३२७७
