Indian Antiquary Vol 41

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 93

APRIL, 1912.)
THE BUDDHIST BHIKSHUS
Tbere are numerous references to Buddhism in the Ach Grasdra. This clearly shows that in the Kanarese country there were numerous followers of Buddba in Saka 1076. We read
ब्रह्मोमापतिगोविंदवाक्येंदुतपनाविषु । HIEHT Hear Jaitancar il
chdrasílra III, 46 बाहो विचारचारूणि सौगतादिमतान्यलं । शशासिमोहदाम्येव स्युः किंपाकवरंगिनां ।।
Achdrasira III, 59, The most interesting fact preserved for us by Viranandi is that in his time there was a very influential sect of Buddhist mendicants called Âjivaka, who subsisted on käinji, and whose intensely severe austerities called forth the admiration of their Jaina contemporaries. Though wanting, as Buddhists, in rigb teousness as defined in the Jaina scriptures and thus incapable of attaining nirudna in the Jains sense, the Ajivakas were nevertheless considered by the author of the Achárasdra so great as to be able to reach the Leaven called Sahusrára-kalpa in Jaina cosmography. Viranandi says
परिवारमझकल्पांतं बास्युमाचारवानपि। Hrafn: Earqia nina: 1!
Acharasdra.. XI, 127.
Commentary. Parivrät parivrájakasti Brahmakalp-ditus Brahmakalpana-laran I aty-ugráchára-ván api betfitt appa negartteyan v!!an adowari Ajirakaki Bauddha-bhédam appa kanji Bhikshu Salasréakalp avta i sahasrdra-kal; an-barasi | darían-jjhitah i samyak ram illadan yatil pokus III
Translation, An ascetic, though practising very severe ansterities goes up to the heaven called Brahmakalpa. An Ajivaka, a Bhikshu of a Buddhist Rect, fubsisting upon kümnji, goes up to the heaven called Sahasrara-kalpa [in Jaina cosmography].
There are two paper manuscripts of the Achárasára. One belongs to the Lakshmisena. Matha at Kolhapur and is dated Saka 1692; and the other is the property of the Jains community of Sirol in the Kolhapur State, and was copied by a famous Jaina nun named Avantamati in Saka 1666. Both manuscripts are written in Old Kanarese characters. The form Âjivaka occurs in both. The correct form should be Ajivika, a believer in the non-existence of the soul, from a-jira, of great and fre, l'aņini IV, 460. Anantamati's manuscript rends kāji for kurinji, Baulda, for Bauddha and pokkw for pâk us. The rea:ling kanji is supported by the authority of Madhavachandra, who in his comments on the 545th Gátha of the Trilansara, says:
FAISANT Unipresa faz 1 wu996 Tufi wa afti ir विभाजिन आजीवा अच्युतकल्पपर्यतं यांति। न त उपरि।
The Maghanaiuli-srdcakachura, which belongs to the middle of the 13th century speaks of the Buddhists as teat-eaters who defended their practice by saying that what is dropped in a plate is holy and sanctioned by the Sutras :Patro patitam pavitrai sitr-oktam id cihi Baudi(ddhar adagan tishbaru.
Magh., Chap. VI, Siro! MS., p. 714b. As regards the Âjivakas, we are told that they will be born as inferior gods in the heaven called Achyuta-kalpa.
Magh., Chap. II, Sirol MS., p. 669. The Maghanandi-srdrakáchdra is frequently quoted by Padmaprabha-traividya, who may therefore be assigned to the end of the 13th century. In the last chapter of his Vimiatiprasúpani, Padmaprabhthus explains the frst part of the Gathd in the Trilóka-sdra, referred to above :
चरबाबपरि०बाजा बमोति भर पोति आजीवा।
Ajívd | ambila-kilan umbaru Achyuta-pa l-otti Achyuta-Kalpa-paryyanta [m] puffuvarı. The Ajivas, caters of karnji food, will be born in the Achyuta-kalpa.