Jain Journal 1969 01

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

Page 27

JANUARY, 1969
121
gorical mention is made therein about them. The name of Kunika's queen given in the Buddhist tradition is Vajira. She was the daughter of King Prasenajita of Kosala. The name of Kunika's son given in the Jaina tradition is Udayi while in the Buddhist tradition it is stated to be Udayibhadra. The Jaina tradition states him to be born of queen Padmavati while in Buddhist tradition he is said to be the son of Queen Vajira but there arises a contradiction about his being the son of Vajira for according to the Buddhist tradition, Udayibhadra was born on the day king Srenika died, 76 while the marriage of Vajira with Kunika took place after the death of king Srenika.77
Death of Kunika
Ajatasatru Kunika's death is narrated differently in the two traditions. The Jaina tradition states : Kunika asked Mahavira, “Where are the monarchs (Cakravartis) born after death ?” The answer was, “The man dying as a Cakravarti is reborn in the seventh hell."
"Where shall I go after death ?" "You will go to the sixth hell.” "Am I not a Cakravarti?” "No, you are not."
This made Kunika ambitious of becoming a Cakravarti. He got fourteen artificial jewels constructed. He set out for a universal victory. A god stopped him in Timisra cave and said, “Only a monarch (Cakravarti) can enter this cave and twelve monarchs (Cakravartis) have already done so." Kunika said, “I am the thirteenth Cakravarti.” The god got angry on this impossibility and he burnt Kunika to death then and there.78 The Buddhist tradition states that Kunika was killed by his son Udayibhadra out of ambition for the throne. 79
Both the traditions are unanimous about Kunika going to hell after death. The name of the hell mentioned in the Jaina tradition is Tamahprabha whereas in the Buddhist tradition it is called Lohakumbhiya hell.80 Jainism holds that there are seven hells in all,81 while
76 Acarya Buddhaghosa, Sumangalavilasini, Part 1, p. 137. 77 Jataka Atthakatha, Part IV, p. 343 ; Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, p. 317. * Sthananga Sutra Vrtti; Avasyaka Curni, Vol. I, pp. 176-177. ** Mahavansa, 4-1. 80 Dighanikaya Atthakatha, Part I, pp. 237-38.
81 Ratnaprabha, Sarkaraprabha, Valuprabha, Pankaprabha, Dhumaprabha, Tamahprabha, Mahatamahpraha (Tamahtamahprabha).-Bhagavati Sutra, sataka 1, uddesaka 5.