________________
Introduction
17 <!
Tirtha (12). Fasting on the eve of life is indeed a blessing: the mind should be plunged in religious meditation (12*4). There are five aticäras of Sallekhana (12*5). Blessed is he who is devoted to the three jewels, has dedicated himself to the Teacher and ends his career in samadhi. One has to conquer the pari sahas (15-37) and medi tate on twelve anupreksäs indicated here. Worldly career and pleasures and possessions are all temporary and fickle; and there is no escape from Death. One has to realize oneself as an embodiment of Right Faith, Knowledge and Conduct. One has to understand Influx, Stoppage and Destruction of Karmas. Religious enlightenment is something rare. After getting it, one should practise Dharmya-dhyana which, in due course, takes one to Liberation.
XX Miscellaneous Topics:
This concluding chapter is really miscellaneous in its contents. The meaning of Anga-pravista and Prakimaka is explained. The five good qualities of a religious Teacher as well as the bad ones which hinder correct understanding are noted (-22). Religious organisation depends on the truly religious Sravakas who observe six-fold duties (42) in which Svadhyaya covers four Anuyogas (4*3 ff.). Tapas and Samyama are explained with reference to Guptis and Kagaya-jaya etc. (-17). The vows should be observed on the ladder of Pratimas (-21). The bhiksa is fourfold, and the Śravaka must offer it. The householder should cultivate three jewels which gradually lead him to liberation. Victory is wished to the Anekanta-Dharma preached by Jina. Then the author gives some personal details which are summarised elsewhere. 4. Critical Estimate of the Form,
Contents, Poetic merits etc. of the Dharmaratnakara
The entire text of the Dharmaratnakara is divided into 20 Avasaras with suiThe total number of verses, in different metres, is 1653, and the author's Prasasti has eight verses more. Some are composed by the author and many others are quoted often anonymously, as already noted above. From the review of the contents given above, chapter to chapter, it is clear that Jayasena has presented in this work a vast range of ideas, topics and subjects, both moral and religious, primarily in the set-up of Jainism. He starts with the ideas like Dana, Šila, Tapas and Bhāvanā and goes on expounding his themes as a gifted poet and an earnest teacher. The work has become more an anthology, moral and religious, than a systematic treatise with clear-cut subjectwise divisions. Now and then sections dealing with certain topics can be marked out, but they are often mixed up with and distracted by repetitions quite common with earnest teachers who are out to give religious discourses. After fully discoursing on Dana in details (I-VIII), the author takes up the topic of Sila under which Samyaktva (IX-X) is discussed in all the aspects. Then he passes on to the exposition of Pratimas (P. 1: XI; P. 2: XII-XIV; P. 3: XV; P. 4 XVI; Ps. 5-9: XVII; Ps. 10-11: XVIII); but the quantity of discussion about various Pratimas is uneven, and sometime the subject matter is not fully covered; then one Avasara is devoted to Sallekhana (XIX); and the concluding Avasara is really miscellaneous including even such topics as were discussed in earlier sections. The discussion of Siksivratas should have been continued in Avasara XV; but the author takes up Sāmāyika
...2
