Jain Journal 1969 07

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

Page 52

JULY, 1969
grains. So there is little credit in knowing it before hand. This doctrine also helped him to conceal his identity at the time of the final duel when he claimed that he was Udai Kaundinya, in his seventh pauttaparihāra and not Gosala, the former disciple of Lord Mahavira.
It is likely that the Ajivikas in course of explaining their doctrines of pauttaparihāra, etc., illustrated them by some parallel only which bore similarity with the tila-episode.
The chapter delineates with utmost accuracy the character of Gosala. He is an upstart. He has no genuine aspiration for an ascetic life. He is simply ambitious. He has seen the wonders wrought by the merits of the penances and so he wants to have for himself a niche in the temple of fame : his object is not emancipation, it is just the attainment of a glory that would dazzle the world.
He has no genuine sense of reverence for Lord Mahavira. He follows him, for he has been dazzled with his brilliant achievements. The sceptic in him would fain disbelieve him, as he did in the tila-episode. Thus his final rebellion against his teacher is essentially rooted in his character. His inordinate ambition would not let him rest. It would spur him, persistently, to usurp the glory of a Jina, Kevali and Omniscient.
When he knows of Vaisyayana's tejoleśyā, he gets impatient to acquire it : such an acquisition would certainly gratify, to a large extent, his passion for greatness. When he acquires this power, he turns against the teacher himself.
His detailed references to his various pauttaparihāras, his tortuous calculation of time and other complications of his statement during his encounter with Lord Mahavira expose rather the hypocritical, deceptive and complex personality of Gosala.
Gosala's exposition of his doctrines is not precise and clear. Its external verbosity exposes its inner hollowness and meaninglessness. In a network of complicated details he only tries to conceal his perfidy and hypocrisy. He is completely shattered when his tejoleśyā, emitted to kill Lord Mahavira, rebounds upon him. His composure vanishes and he enters almost a state of madness. His disperate attempts to conceal his wounds are apparent in his meaningless physical actions : he sucks green mangoes, drinks, dances and sprinkles cold water upon his person. Made of very tough stuff as he is, he does not succumb so