Jaina Acara Siddhanta aur Svarupa

Author(s): Devendramuni
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 79

Jaina Acara: Siddhanta aura Swarupa
another religious order. They went to Maddaka and said, "Lord Mahāvīra has propounded five extensive substances out of which one is animate and the other four inanimate. One, he says, is with form and the other four are formless. Please adduce whatever proofs you can", Maddaka replied, "This can very well be inferred from the action of substances. There are visible forms in the world and also invisible ones which can be known from experience, inference and action".
Ridiculing him they said, "What kind of follower are you? You have no knowledge of substance. You do not see them and yet you hold them to be true". Maddaka said, "can you see the rustling wind? What about its form and colour ?" They replied that because of its being subtle they could not see it. Maddaka thus advanced the argument, "You smell good and bad odour, but do you see its form and colour? There is fire in the wood of Sami tree but do you see it? gods you do not see, but do you disown them? If you do not recognise what you do not see, you will have little belief in your own heredity". They acknowledged their defeat in argumentation.
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'Sankha and Pokhali were great devotees of Mahāvīra. They belonged to 'Sravasti. Once they dined in company and later were on holy fast. In the twelfth 'Sataka' itself Jayanti, a votaress, has also been mentioned. Monks and nuns used to stay at her residence. This made her known as 'Sayyatara'. She used to put intelligent questions to Mahāvīra. That a lady could be so very learned during those times is startling indeed. It is because women and Harijans were not allowed to read the Vedas. As such it was an act of courage and more so when she could discuss things with no less a person than with Lord Mahāvīra himself.
The rich Sudarsana has been mentioned in 'Antakṛddasargsutra'. He had a firm and abiding faith in the Jaina precepts. Lord Mahavira was on the move from Rajagiha. The fierce Anjumāli was roaming about and yet Sudarsana, unmindful of Anjumäli's frightening posture, went to have a close glimpse of the Lord. In 'Prasnavyakaraṇasūtra' one can clearly comprehend the significance of small vows. 'Rajaprasniyasutra' shows us king Pradesi, who was a scientist and logician of sorts, yet he was cruel and blood-thirsty. He came in contact with an ascetic named Kasi. This brought a complete metamorphosis in his life. He became kind, compassionate and detached so much so that he was not ruffled in the least even when the queen served him a poisonous dish.
Lord Mahavira himself spoke highly of the laity. Some householders, he noticed, were superior to ascetics in observing perfect restraint. Even though a householder, he can very well lead a holy life. The literature on Jaina conduct of the laity has been the subject of some white-clad and sky-clad writers. There are more than a lac verses on it.
In Umasvati's 'Sravakaprajnapti there is little on the conduct of the laity but its commentator Haribhadra has given the meaning of 'Srāvaka'