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HIS AGE, LIFE AND WORKS
[xix
and Campā; in these countries Buddhism was still flourishing, and it is, therefore, possible that Haribhadra there acquired his accurate knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, especially as taught by Dignāga and Dharmakirti.
That Haribhadra was a Brahmun by caste is stated in e' and implied in c, where he is said to have been the purohita of King Jitāri. Though there is no such statement in O and I, I have no doubt that it is true. For the learning peculiar to Haribhadra, apart from his comprehensive knowledge of Jaina Lore, is of such a kind as was natural with a Braluman, but quite exceptional in any other case, before Jain literature had received a new impulse from brahmanical science. Municandra (e) truly describes Haribhadra as one 'who had studied the eight grammarians, and was the leader of those whose understanding is hardened by the discussions connected with all philosophical systems.' It is chiefly due to Haribhadra, as will be explained in the next paragraph, that Sanskrit became the learned language of the S'vetämbaras and replaced Prakrit in several departments of their literature; he would, lowever, not have had this influence unless he was a perfect master of Sanskrit, an accomplishment which required the customary training of the Brahman. And as regards his mastery in philosophical discussion conducted in Sanskrit it is such that his Anekāntajayapatākā with Țikā favourably compares with any philosophical work of the same age. It may be added that the story of Haribhadra's conversion, the main features of which are already contained in our oldest source (a), points also to the same conclusion, that he was a Brahman by caste.
Haribhadra by acknowledging the nun Yakini as his spiritual mother (dharmato Yākinimalattarāsūnu) unmistakably ascribes to her his conversion to the true faith', which may be regarded as a second birth. How his conversion was brought about, has been recorded by tradition which, in this regard, is probably substantially trustworthy. I shall first give an abstract of the narrative about this part of Haribhadra's life in the Prabhăvakacarita (IX, V. 4-47), and discuss it afterwards.
Haribhadra was purohita of King Jitāri iu the town of Citrakūta. He was so proud of his knowledge, that he proclaimed that he would become the pupil of anyone whose proposition he could not understand, and this vow was engraved on & golden plate he wore on his belly (11). Once a mast elephant having got loose and causing great havoc in the streets, Haribhadra fled before him and made his escape by climbing on Jain temple. Thence he perceived the image of a Tirthakara whom he derided in a 'sloka (vapur eva tavā'caste, etc. ) ( 18 ). On the next day when he went home about midnight, he heard an old nun reciting a găthat (calkidugan Haripanagan, etc.), which utterly baffled his understanding. He asked her to explain its meaning, but she referred him to her guru (27). So he went to see him on the next morning. Passing on his way by the same temple he pronounced the same s'loka (vapur era tavā'caste) changing one word so that it redounded to a praise of Jina. There he saw Jinabhatasuri who promised to teach him after he had been initiated. Haribhadra consented, and acknowledged mahattarā Jākini as his
1 Kalyāņavijaya l. c. p.5a, bote. 2 Apparently a fictitious name standing for Jitaśatra, the usual name of tho king
in countless legends and stories of the Jainas, but never met with, as far as I know, in any historical document, inscription etc. The name is absent in the list of
Guhila kings of Mewad, see Mabel Duff, Chronology of India p. 282. 8 It is true that the Buddhists possessed many other older works of a similar
description but the Buddhists had come into contact with Brahminical schools of philosophy at a much earlier time, and many of their great writers have
notoriously been Brahmans by caste. 4 This gathā ooours in the Avasyakaniryukti.
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