Jain Journal 1982 07

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

Page 23

18
Prakrit (Jaina Sauraseni) text of the pro-canon of the Digambaras belonging to c. 1st century A.D.3
JAIN JOURNAL
The Müläradhana belongs to that age when the Digambara and Svetambara sects were not much different from one another. Moreover Sivarya tells us that the entire early canonical knowledge has been condensed in this work :
ārāhaṇāṇivaddham savvampi hu hodi suduṇāņam
Hence the contents of the portion of ahimsa in this work are of considerable importance. The context of this portion of the text is as follows:
The Kṣapaka or Arādhaka is on the samstara (his bed for the great final vow, viz., bhaktapṛatyākhyāna) and is exerting himself in the various austerities like kāyotsarga (complete indifference to body), anuprekṣās (spiritual reflections) etc. which destroy the karman gradually. At this stage, the Niryapakācārya (the Superintending Teacher), sitting by his side, slowly and effectively instructs him in the manifold aspects of religious tenets and practices, so that he may develop disgust for worldly life and longing for salvation. This course of instruction, naturally, also contains the topic of the pañcamahāvrata; and the sub-topic of ahimsā is covered by some 47 gāhās: 776 to 822.
Amongst these 47 gāhās several contain exposition of the following facets of ahimsa which, amidst others, are usually found as laid down or discussed in other canonical texts, exegetical works and also in trāvakācāras (treatises on the householder's conduct):
(i) Definition of himsā
(ii) Equality of all souls
(iii) Five-fold indulgence in himsā (pañcapayogā) (iv) Bhavahimsā
* For my study here, I have followed the Solapur edition, 1935.
4 Gaha, 2163.
(i) This is Anusisti-instruction. This Section (XXXIII) contains gahas 720 to 1489.
(ii) Dr. A. N. Upadhye remarks: "The Section on Anusisti is a fine didactic work by itself. Thus for the Jaina monk its importance is very great and its study simply indispensable." Intro. to Brhatkathakosa, Singhi Jaina Series 17, Bombay 1943, p. 52.
Nos. 776, 783, 794, 800, 801, 807, 808, 811, 816, 817, 818, etc.