Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

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NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
only one story about good deeds and the remaining stories are to be mechanically narrated. Ikkāi, the district officer, was cruel and oppressed people with heavy taxes etc.; as a result of this, he suffered incurable diseases in this life and was born as Miyāputta, of foul constitution, in the next birth. Passing through various lives of beasts and birds, he would be born as a merchant-prince; he adopts Jaina vows, becomes a monk, and goes to heaven; and at last he attains liberation. The hunter Bhima killed many beasts to satisfy the pregnancy-longing of his wife for flesh and wine. She gave birth to a child, Gottäsaya by name, that grew into a wicked hunter, excessively addicted to flesh and wine. In the next life he was born as Ujjhitaka, a despicable boy, who proved to be a curse to the family, was given to vices like gambling, woman and wine, and was ordered to the gallows by the king as a punishment for his debauchery. Subsequently he would pass through various worldly and hellish births, then go to heaven from the birth of a merchant-prince where he acquires right knowledge, and thereafter he would get liberation. Ninnaya was a cruel dealer in eggs of which he enjoyed several dishes. This sin led him to hell, and thence he was born as Abhaggasena, a tyrant and oppressive robber, who was a nuisance to the surrounding territory. King Mahābala. finding that it was not easy to defeat Abhagga, invited him cordially for a feast, and then, closing the city-gates, ordered his execution. After wandering long in Samsāra, Abhagga would be born as a man, enter the order and finally attain liberation. A shepherd Chaniya by name killed several animals and enjoyed and sold dishes of meat. This sin led him to hell, and thence he was born as a son Sagada to Bhaddā who had lost many of her children. After the child-birth, the family fell on evil days, Sagada grew vicious and debaucherous, and became attached to Sudarsanā, a kept mistress of the minister. He was dragged before the king who gave him capital punishment by making him embrace a red hot female statue, Mahāvīra prophesied that Sagada and Sudarisanā would be later born as twins and would live as husband and wife. Consequently he would go to hell and pass through a series of births. As a merchant-prince he would enter the ascetic order and