Jain Journal 1968 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 17

JAIN JOURNAL
part of Campa City, the king reached the vicinity of Purnabhadra Caitya. The king from a distance saw Lord Mahavira's insignia of Tirthankara and left the Hastiratna. He then cast aside all the five signs of royalty and came before Lord Mahavira. Having acquired the five essentials, he paid his homage and then sat down worshipping the Lord with mental, vocal and physical reverence.
Sermons of Mahavira
The Lord delivered sermons to the audience in Ardha-Magadhi dialect: "There exist universe, non-universe ; soul, matter; bondage, salvation; virtue, vice ; attraction, prevention and effacement of sins ; violence, falsehood, theft, coition, attachment; anger, vanity, deceit, greed, etc. There also exist desisting from violence, falsehood, stealing, coition, etc. All affirmations rest in the existent, while all negations are with the non-existent. Good acts result in good while evil ones result in bad. Soul confronts with virtue and vice. Soul passes through the cycle of births and deaths. There are two kinds of religion-one for the saints, and the other for the house-holders. The former consists of renouncing the worldly attachments and abstaining from violence, falsehood, etc., while the latter prescribes the twelve vows-five aņuyratas, three gunavratas and four śikṣāvratas." The assembly dispersed after attending the sermon. The king also got up and paying his homage thus said, “Lord, your Nirgrantha-preachings are well-explained, lucid, so profound, emphatic, comprehensive and matchless. While preaching religion you have preached calmness, while explaining calmness you have explained prudence and so also non-indulgence, while discoursing about non-indulgence, you have preached for non-committing sinful deeds. There is no other Brāhmana or Sramana who can preach religion so well ; what to speak of anything more than this."9 Submitting so, the king returned to where from he came. 10
Follower of Jainism or Buddhism ?
On comparative study of Sāmaññyaphala Sutta and Aupapātika Prakarana the latter one is found to be more proved and impressive. In Sāmaññyaphala Sutta the only evidence of Ajatasatru being a follower of the Buddha is the statement that “O God, take me in thy shelter as your folded-hand worshipper from to-day." In the Aupapātika Prakarana
8 For details, consult Upasakadasanga Sutra.
. natthi nam anne kei samane va mahane va je erisam dhammam maikkhittae kimagapuna etto uttaratarm ? - Aupapatika Sutra, sutra 25.
10 On the basis of Aupapatika Sutra.