Jain Journal 1970 04

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

Page 52

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JAIN JOURNAL
about, to live in the house of his former mistress. Despite her seductions he maintained his vows, although another monk who later undertook to imitate him was easily led astray.
A twelve year famine now came upon the land of Magadha. During this period of confusion the Jaina canon was in danger of being lost. When the famine was over, the Sangha reassembled in Pataliputra and collected as much of the canon as the monks happened to remember, being the eleven Argas. To recover the twelfth Arga, Dựstivāda, the monks sent two of their numbers to Bhadrabahu, who was then in Nepal commanding him to join the council at Pataliputra and impart this Anga. Bhadrabahu could not come because he was engaged in a vow that would require 12 years of austerity. Eventually the Sangha sent to him 500 monks headed by Sthulabhadra to learn the Drstivāda. All but Sthulabhadra became discouraged by the slowness of their progress.
Sthulabhadra's seven sisters, who had become nuns, went to pay their respects to Bhadrabahu and asked him where to find their brother. Bhadrabahu directed them to the cave. When the seven sisters approached, Sthulabhadra thought to gratify them with a miracle and transformed himself into a lion. They ran back to Bhadrabahu in fright reporting that a lion had devoured Sthulabhadra. Bhadrabahu told them the truth and they returned. They told Sthulabhadra their various adventures. When his sisters had left him Sthulabhadra went to Bhadrabahu to continue his lessons. But Bhadrabahu declared that Sthulabhadra performing a miracle had shown himself an unworthy receptacle of the holy knowledge.
In the upper register is Sthulabhadra as a lion. Before him stand two nuns who typify all seven sisters. The lower register represents either the seven sisters asking Bhadrabahu where to find Sthulabhadra or, the sisters telling their adventures to Sthulabhadra.
Fig. 26
Kalaka riding his horse, Kalaka hears Gunakara preach. Kālakācāryakathā folio Sultanate style, c. 1400 A.D. In the lower register Kalaka rides on his horseback attended by his three followers. In the upper register Gunakara preaches in the mango-grove to the prince Kalaka.