Jainism

Author(s): N R Guseva
Publisher: Sindu Publications P L

Page 98

JAINISM
is known that their canon is also divided in 12 Angas, though it is noticed from its contents that it differs from the canon of Shvetambaras.
Collection of stories (often composed according to the principle of 'story of a set frame') is interesting non-canonical literature. One comes across themes of different episodes in those stories. A peculiar form is given to these and all other themes to show therefrom how conversion to Jainism facilitates moral correction of man. The most known collections are: 'Kathakosha' (eleventh-twelfth century, the author unknown), ‘Kathakosha' containing 500 stories written by Shubhashilagami (fifteenth century) 'Kathamahodadhi' by the famous Jain writer Somachandra (fifteenth century), and 'Katharatnakara' by Hemavijaya (seventeenth century).
The following story would serve as a model of the stories appearing in such collections (eleventh to twelfth century).
A girl had a wicked stepmother, who compelled her to do all sorts of heavy work. Once while she was grazing her cow, she fell fast asleep. A black serpent, who was followed by a hunter of serpents awakened her and requested her to save him. The girl hid the serpant and he promised her by way of gift that he would fulfil any desire of hers, for her asking. Then the girl requested him to create shade above her, so that she could hide her cow from the sun. The serpent created a shady garden all around by his power of magic and from that time it went wherever the girl went. Once she saw in the garden a young king, who fell in love with her and decided to marry her. Knowing this, her stepmother started machinations to substitute her own daughter, but the serpent smashed all these machinations and helped the kind girl to secure her happiness. This story with a moral calls upon people to observe the doctrine of ahimsa.
There are many stories about the life of Tirthankars and other holies, whom the Jains worship. Such stories are called 'Charitra' or 'Charita' which is a universal literary term in Indian literature for this genre. The widely known charita is a work of the Jain monk, Hemachandra, who was a distinguished religious worker, scholar and politician of the twelfth
9. Retold from the book Geschichteder Indischen Literatur, by M. Win. ternitz, p. 325.