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Repetition in Jaina narrative literature
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« filler » have been used in linguistics and in folklore studies. Instead of an abstract definition we supply an example: SLOTS (all Jinas)
FILLERS (Jinas nos. 1-2) name of the Jina . . . . . . . . . Rşabha
Ajita parents of the Jina . . . . . . . . Nābhi and Marudevī
Jitaśatru and Vijayā royal residence. . . . . . . . . Ayodhya
Ayodhyā Typical of slot-filler repetition is the śāstraic precision and the dichotomy of narrative accounts and tabular accounts. The latter consist of shorter or longer series of slots. Each slot is followed by the respective fillers (names of the 24 Jinas, names of their 24 fathers, and so on). Tabular accounts naturally have the same number of fillers for each Jina, whereas narrative accounts may have varying numbers of fillers for different Jinas. See also figs. 4, 8, 9. The closest parallel to slot-filler repetition in the UH of the Jainas is found in the Mahāpadāna Sutta of the Dīghanikāya.
Slot-filler repetition corresponds to hero-variation in Varga Literature. The next type of repetition in UH literature - standard episodes — is the counterpart to varņaka-repetition. Standard episodes may be of considerable length (e.g. the janmabhiseka). The principle is « full text in the case of Jina no. 1 and condensed text in the case of the remaining 23 Jinas ». But the fact that complete versions are the exception rather than the rule (only Hemacandra being 100% complete) already indicates that this scheme was not often translated into practice. See also § 14.
The non-repetitive (original) elements in the Jina biographies are early or late, fully integrated or ad hoc additions. The distribution of non-repetitive matter over the 24 Jina biographies is very irregular. The greater part of the 24 biographies has no non-repetitive portions at all, in the remaining cases the proportion varies from case to case.
The terms used in the present section can also be employed for describing the biographies of the Cakravartins and of the Triads. It was, however, practical to consider in the present section only one category, viz. the Jinas 33.
§ 11. The Universal History in Samavāya
It seems that speculation on additional sarpinis started early. An old formulaic line (je ya aiyā, je ya paduppannā, je ya āgamissā arahantā
33. The subject of the different parts or contents in the Jina biographies has also been discussed in our thesis (fn. 32), p. 114. But the classification proposed at that time is not systematical.
