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Some Jain Versions of the 'Act of Truth' Theme
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Annotation : 1. George Thompson, “On Truth-Acts in Vedic", Indo-Iranian Journal (forthcoming).
Cf. also Alex Wayman, "The Hindu-Buddhist Rite of Truth-An Interpretation”, in Bhadriraju Krishnamurti, Studies in Indian Linguistics (Professor M. B. Emeneau Sastipūrti Volume), Deccan College, Poona University and Annamalai University, Annamalainagar : Centre of Advanced Study in Linguistics 1968, pp. 365-69 who wishes to translate kiriyā/kriyā as “rite". Cf., more recently, Catherine WeinbergerThomas, Cendres d'Immortalité : La crémation des veuves en Inde, Editions de Seuil 1996, pp. 31-2. Although she does not deal specifically with the satyakriyā, Weinberger-Thomas offers an apt characterisation of truth in the Indian context as something which has the capacity to create by virtue of emanating from that
quality which is itself true (sat). 2. Thompson op. cit. 3. See W. N. Brown, The Indian and Christian Miracles of Walking on the Water,
Chicago-London 1928, for a treatment of possible parallels in the accounts of Christ and the Buddha walking on water. For further discussion, see Norbert Klatt, Literarkritische Beiträge zum Problem Christlich-Buddhistischer Parallelen, Köln:
E. J. Brill 1982, pp. 182-98. 4. Söhnen-Thieme, “On the Concept and Function of satya ("truth”) in Ancient Indian
Literature", International Conference on Sanskrit and Related Studies : September 23-26, 1993 (Proceedings), Cracow : The Enigma Press 1995, p. 240. The act of truth theme was still being used as late as the sixteenth century. For a Telugu version occurring in Allasāni Peddana's Manucaritramu, see David Shulman, “First Man, Forest Mother : Telugu Humanism in the Age of Krsnadevarāya" in David Shulman (ed.), Syllables of Sky: Studies in South Indian Civilisation in honour of
Velcheru Narayana Rao, Delhi : Oxford University Press 1995, p. 135. 5. Maurice Bloomfield, The Life and Stories of the Jaina Savior Pārsvanātha, Delhi :
Gian Publishing House 1985 (reprint), pp. 80-1. This is referred to by W. Norman Brown, “The Metaphysics of the Truth Act (* Satyakriya)”, in Mélanges d’Indianisme à la Mémoire de Louis Renou, Publications de Institut de Civilisation Indiennes
Vol. 28, Paris : Editions E. de Boccard 1968, p. 176. 6. See Colette Caillat, “The Rules Concerning Speech (Bhāṣā) in the Ayāranga-and
Dasaveyāliya-Suttas”, in M. A. Dhaky and Sagarmal Jain (ed.), Pt. Dalsukhbhai Malvania Felicitation Volume 1 : Aspects of Jainology Vol. III, Varanasi : P. V. Research Institute 1991, pp. 7 and 10. Jain philosophical and linguistic views on
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