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SOME JAINA CANONICAL SOTRAS
Sañjaya was the king of Kāmpilya. He chased a deer on horseback in the Keshara park in Kāmpilya and he killed the frightened deer there. In the park there was an ascetic intent on sacred study and meditating on the Law. The king killed the deer that fled to him. He quickly came there, saw the killed deer and the monk. Having dismissed his horse the king respectfully bowed down before the monk saying, "Forgive me, Rovered Sir.' The monk made no reply to the king. The king said, 'I am Sañjaya, Revered Sir. A monk might by the fire of his wrath reduce millions of men to ishes.' The monk replied, 'Oh king, be without fear but grant safety to others. In this transient world of living beings why are your addicted to cruelty? One day you must part with everything in this transient world. Why do you cling to the kingly power? Life and beauty which you love so much are transient like a stroke of lightning. Wives, children, friends, and relations, all are dependent on a man during his life, but they will not follow him in death. Sons in great sorrow will remove the dead body of the father to the cemetery. So the parents will do the same thing with their sons and relations. Oh king! do penances. Whatever actions a man has done, good or bad, with his kurma he will depart to the next life. The king was taught the Law by this monk. Sañjaya gave up his kingly power and
he faith of the Jinas in the presence of the venerable monk Gardabhāli.2
Bharata, who was the eldest son of Rşabha, the first Tīrthankara, became the first universal monarch and resided at Ayodhyā.3 He gave up his kingdom and pleasures and entered the Order. Sagara, the king of Ayodhyā, also gave up the kingdom and reached perfection through his compassion. Maghavan, son of king Samudravijaya of Srāvasti, entered the Order. Sanatkumāra, son of king Aśvasena of Hastināpura, placed his son on the throne and then practised austerities. Sānti, a universal monarch of great power, gave up his kingdom and reached perfection. King Kunthu and King Ara also reached perfection. Mahāpadma of Hastināpura gave up his kingdom and practised austerities. Harisena, son of king Mahāhari of Kāmpilya, reached perfection and Gaya, son of king Samudravijaya of Rājagpha, renounced the world and practised self-restraint. Dasamabhadra, who was a contemporary of Mahāvira,
1 Capital of southern Pancāla idontical with modern Kampil in the Farokhabad District, U.P. (ttarādhyayana, XVIII.
2 Ibid., XVIII. * The earliest capital of Kosala on the river Sarayū in U.P.
