Jain Journal 1985 01

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

Page 31

92
JAIN JOURNAL
Laxmi Vallabha Gani comments :22
vāsicandaņasamāņakappe--yathā parśunā candanavęksah chidyamānah parsumukham surabhi karoti tathā bhagavānapi dukhadāyake'pi upakaram karoti athavā pūjake chedake ca ubhaorüpari samānakalpah
Here the commentator understands by vāsi a hatchet (i.e. parašu), but suggests two meanings of the whole phrase :
(a) Just as the tree of sandalwood on being cut by the hatchet per
fumes the (edge) of the hatchet ; the venerable one blesses even the person causing pain to him.
(b) The venerable one had the same outlook for the adorer and the
cutter
The first interpretation is made taking the phrase as a 'metaphor'. We come across instances in literary works where sandalwood metaphorically stands for an extremely kind man; all the same the non-metaphorical usage of the phrase in the original texts like Jamūdvipa Prajñapti Sūtra and Mahābhārata compels us to reject the metaphorical interpretation, Even if we accept it, vāsī stands for a particular tool of the carpenter viz. an adze.
(5) The Jaina canon Uvaväi Sutra (the first amongst the Upāngas) also makes use of the same phrase in describing the sādhanā of the monks of Lord Mahavira. The original text is : 23
se nam bhagayanto......vāsicandanasamāņakappa samaletthukamcaņā ......... viharanti
The eminent commentator Abhayadeva Suri in his vrtti to the above sūtra explains the phrase thus :24
vāsicandanayoh pratitayorathavā vāsicandane iva vāsīcandane apakāropakārakau tayoh samano nirdeşarāgatvātsamah kalpo vikalpah samacaro và vesẫm te vāsīcandahasamāngkalpah
22 Kalpa Sutra with Kalpadruma Kalika, pub by Velji Shivji, Bombay, 1918, p.136. 23 Uvavai Sutra with Abhaya Deva Suri's commentary, pub by Rai Dhanpat
Singh Bahadur, Calcutta, 1936, p.100. 24 Ibid., p.100.