________________
SECTION ONE
Narratives of the EXCELLENT MEN (Uttamapurisa Kahāṇagāni)
In the Jain tradition there have been twenty-four Tirtharikaras (bridge builders).' They are enumarated as follows: Usabha, Ajiya, Sambhava, Abhinandana, Sumati, Paumappabha, (Suppabha in Bhagavati), Supāsa, Candappabha (Sasi in Bhagavati), Pupphadanta, Siyala, Sejjamsa, Vāsupujja, Vimala, Ananta, Dhamma, Santi, Kunthu, Ara, Malli, Munisuvvaya, Nami, Nemi, Pasa, Vaddhamana or Mahāvira. Out of them, Ara is called Nandyāvarta, (arahato Nandiāvatasa Pratima) in the Mathura inscriptions. The stupa in which the standing figure of the Arhat belongs, was supposed to have been the work of divine gods (deva-nirmita). No symboles are recorded on Jain images in Mathura inscriptions, they are mentioned only in later Jain works. It is to be noted that the yakşas or yakşiņis, known as śāsana-devatā or guardian deities, are associated with each Tirtharikara. We are told of Jinasekhara yakşa, who is said to have projected a pearl image of himself with the image of Usabha on his crest. Similarly the image of Pāsa is noticed on the head of goddess Padmavati.
1. The life History of Usabha Usabha or Usaha (Vrsabha), the first Tirtharkara of the Jains, was born in the descending age (osappini) in the house of king Nābhi by his queen Marudevi. As he was born in Kosalat he was known as Kosaliya. He is called the first king, the first Jina, the first omniscient being (kevali), the first Tirtharikara and the first sovereign of Religion of the earth (dhammavaracāuranta-cakkavatti). Immediately after the Tirthankara was born, alarmed by the shaking of their thrones, several groups of the disākumari goddesses appeared in the birth-house of Usabha. First of all, appear the eight disākumaris of the under-world (ahologiya), each of them accompanied by numerous retinue of dignitaries, officials, troups etc. They paid their reverential homage to the Tirthankara and his mother and praised the latter by a hymn. Then they effected the 'world-wide storm' (samvattaga-vāya) by their magic power, with the help of which they cleared the ground around the birth-house of grass-blades, leaves, fragments of wood and dirt and then remained singing and rejoicing by the side of the mother and child. Then appear a group of eight disākumāris living in the upper-world (uddhalogiya) and greeted the mother and the child exactly in the same manner as the first group. They created clouds (abbhavaddala) by their magic power, effecting a rain of scented water falling from them,
1. Twenty-four Buddhas are referred to in the Digha II, Mahāpadāna Sutta. Makkhali Gosāla is considered as twenty-fourth Tirthankara of the Ajivika sect. 2. See W. Schubring, The Doctrine of the Jainas, p.49 3. Kuvalayamala, 120, 15-17 4. The Avasyaka Cūrņi (337) identifies Kosala with Aojjhā (Ayodhyā). In the Vividha tirthakalpa (24), Aujjhā, Avajjhā, Kosala, Viniya, Säkeya, Ikkhāgabhūmi and Ramapuri are identical. 5. They are enumerated as follows: (a) bhogamkarā bhogavai subhoga bhogamālini toyadhārā vicittá pupphamala anindiyā
The identical list is given in the Vasudevahindi, 159, 22-23 and the Avasyaka Cūrni, 136. In the Thāna (8.643) the names given are different:
bhogankarā bhogavai subhoga bhogamāliņi suvacchā vacchamittă ya vārisenā Balāhaga 6. They are: (b) mehamkarā mehavai sumehā mehamalini suvacchă vacchamitta ya vārisenā Balāhaga
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
