Morphological Evidence For Dialectal Variety In Jaina Maharastri

Author(s): Nalini Balbir
Publisher: Nalini Balbir

Page 20

522
N. BALBIR
Though the connection between the five vaitālīyas is somewhat loose, we can deal with them simultaneously.
4325. jai tāva dalant' agālino dhammadhamma-visesa-bāhilā bahu-samjaya-vinda-majjhake uvakalane si kim eva mucchio? 4330-31. khamae laddhūna ambale dāu gulūņa ya so valitthae bei gulum “em eva sesae deha jaīņa", gulūhi vuccai : "sayam eva ya dehi ambale tava je loyai ettha samjae", ii chandiya-pesio tahim khamao dei lisina ambale. 4362-63. vayanam na vi gavva-bhāliyam elisayam kusalehi pūjiyam ahava na vi ettha lūsimo pagai esa ajānue jane. mūlena vină hu kelise talu pavale ya ghane ya sobhai?
na ya mūla-vibhinnae ghade jalam-ādīni dhalei kanhui. The first stanza indirectly hints at the quarrels which cropped up when the monks came to share among themselves the clothes received from the laymen, and it warns them against envy :
"When even householders who are unconcerned by the difference between dharma and adharma (agree to give (their own garments), how can you, who are living in a group of numerous self-controlled ascetics, be infatuated with a mere implement?". We should notice by the way that the following verse (4326) is a triştubh : it has been observed that vaitālīyas and triştubhs are closely connected 109
The next two vaitālīyas pertain to the sharing of the clothes brought by the kşapaka, scil. the fasting monk who is often given a special treatment in the disciplinary texts 110 :
“Having brought the clothes and having given the best ones to his guru, the kşapaka says to him : “In the same way, please give the other (clothes) to the monks". The guru answers : "Give these clothes yourself to whatever ascetic you want”. Being invited and dismissed in this manner, the kşapaka gives the clothes to the wise".
I am struck by the pedestrian style of this short dialogue and by the apparently indiscriminate use of terms designating the Jaina monk (jai, samjaya, lisi). It looks rather queer in a section which otherwise shows concern for the religious hierarchy.
The last two verses reproach the behaviour of the rebellious monk who claims that the kşapaka should show him deference:
"Such an arrogant word is not praised by the clever ones". Or : "I should not be angry about that : such is the nature of a foolish person".
109. ALSDORF,Das Jātaka (as in n. 97) = Kleine Schriften, p. 384.
110. See, for instance, C. CAILLAT, Atonements in the Ancient Ritual of the Jaina Monks. Ahmedabad, 1975 (L.D. Series 49), p. 113.