History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

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COMPARISON AND EVALUATION
that is mine will be burnt,' occurring in the Mahabharata (XII, 178, 2) is found in the Jātaka Nr. 539 g. 125 and has a parallel in the Uttarajjhayana (IX), a work about which Prof. Winternitz remarks: "from a literary point of view perhaps the most interesting book." The legend of King Nami where the ascetic ideal is contrasted with that of the ruler and the warrior is noted by Jarl Charpentier in Studien zur indischen Erzählungsliteratur I, Paccekabuddhageschichten (Uppasala, 1908) and Z. D. M. G. (vol. LXVI, 38ff.). Ajjhayana XII has a counterpart in the Mätańgajātaka Nr. 497 as shown by Charpentier in Z. D. M. G. (vol. LXIII, 171 ff.) whereas the legend of Citta and Sambhūta occurring in ajjhayana XIII has been long ago compared with Jātaka Nr. 498 by Prof. Leumann.2
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Ascetic Literature - This is the terminology coined by Prof. Winternitz, in view of his having noticed in Bauddha texts Samanas and Brāhmaṇas, and in Aśoka inscriptions Samana-bambhana and on finding Megasthenes making a clear distinction between Brāhmaṇas and Śramaņas. He notes the following characteristic features of this literature in The Jainas in the His. of Ind. Lit. (p. 145) :
"It disregards the system of castes and āśramas; its heroes are, as a rule, not gods and Rsis, but kings or merchants or even Südras. The subjects of poetry taken up by it are not Brähmaṇic myths and legends, but popular tales, fairy stories, fables and parables. It likes to insist on the misery and sufferings of Samsara, and it teaches a morality of compassion and Ahimsa, quite distinct from the ethics of Brahmanism with its ideals of the great sacrificer and generous supporter of the priests, and its strict adherence to the caste system."
The ballad of King Nami (Uttara° IX) and the legend of Citta and Sambhūta (XIII) are specimens of the ascetic literature. Many verses of the
1. "In many cases verses and Itihasa-samvadas of the Mahabharata have actually been traced in Päli Gäthäs, and in Jaina book. A very remarkable example of the latter is the fine dialogue between a father and his son in the Mahabharata, XII 175 (repeated XII, 277), which occurs also-with variants in the Märkandeya-Purana, X ff., in the Buddhist Jätaka (Nr. 509 in Fausböll's edition), and again in the Uttarajjhayaṇasutta (Adhy, XIV) of the Jainas."-The Jainas in the His. of Ind. Lit. (p. 146) 2. See Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes (V, 111 ff.; VI, I ff.)
3. In Jaina works, too, we come across Samana and Bambhana (vide Suyagaḍa I, 6, 1; II, 6, 4 & 12), and Lord Mahävira himself is at least four times addressed as Bambhana. Vide the ending verse of each of the 4 uddesas of Ayāra (IX).
4. Many pieces of ascetic poetry are found in the Mahabharata, specially in its XIIth parvan. Out of them may be singled out the beautiful itihasa-samvada of Jajali and Tuladhara (261-264) where Tuladhāra the shopkeeper of Benares, teaches the Brahmana Jajali, 'the eternal religion of love'. For other instances see The Jainas in the His. of Ind. Lit. (pp. 145-146).
See page 214 of addition.
HIST.-26 Jain Education International