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The Utopia and the Utopian
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The Victor embodying the characteristics of the ideal monk is the Utopian. The Uvahanasuyam (the sruta on penance) of the Ayaro (First Srutaskandha, chapter IX) gives a vivid picture of the ascetic life of lord Mahâvîra, that sets the example to be followed by the aspirants to jinahood. It is, in fact, a description that led the authors of Jaina Monasticism to formulate the Jinakalpa (the Victor's Course'. Here we give a versified English rendering of the Uvahanasuyam, each English verse being preceded by its Prakrit original. The Prakrit expression uvahana is comparable to the Pali word padhana, meaning 'exertion, energetic effort, striving, concentration of mind'.
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ahasuyam vaissami, jaha se samane bhagavam utthaya; samkhae tamsi hemante, ahuna pavvai riitha. Relate shall I, as actually I heard, How that Samana, the Lord, waking, Perceiving, in that autumn Travelled, just ordained. no cev'imena vatthena, pihissami tamsi hemante; se parae avakahae, eyam khu anudhammiyam tassa. With this robe, shan't I, Cover myself that autumn (vowed He), And observed (the vow) for ever; His obedience to the Law indeed was such. cattari sahie mase, bahave pana-jaiyagamma; abhirujjha kayam viharimsu, arusiyanam tattha himsimsu. More than four months, Living beings of varieties many, gathering, Climbing, crawled over His body, And wounded Him stinging in anger and wrath. samvaccharam sahiyam masam, jam na rikka is vatthagam
bhagavam; ace lae tato cai, tam vosajja vattham anagare. For a year and a month, The robe the Lord left not off; (But), naked and relinquishing was He, then, Giving up the robe, as a houseless monk.
