Some Jaina Canonical Sutras

Author(s): Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Royal Asiatic Society

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SOME JAINA CANONICAL SOTRAS
to the Buddhist manner of preaching the doctrine are intended evidently not only to keep up the dignity of the preacher but also to avoid the awkwardness of the situation and ineffectiveness of the preaching itself. The Buddhist rules of decorum may be shown to have as their immediate literary background the rules laid down in the various Grhyu sutrus which too speak of the four main iryāpathas as consisting of standing, sitting, walking and lying down, the rest being subservient to them. (For a comparative study wide B. C. Law, Buddhist Rules of Decorum published in R. K. Nookerjee l'olume (Bhürata-Kaumudi), I, p. 381ff.) The Jain rules of conduct and decorum, agreeing in their essential features with the Buddhist rules, are broadbased upon careful considerations and keen observations. A comparative study of these rules as enforced by different religions of the world is sure to yield many fruitful results.
The sūtru speaks of Lādha (Rādha) as a pathless country with its two divisions: Subbhabhūmi (probably the same as Sk. Suhma) and Vajjabhūmi which may be taken to correspond to the modern district of Midnapur. (Jacobi, Jaina Sūtras, I, p. 81.) It speaks of the inhabitants of the Rādha country is rude and generally hostile to the asceties. The clogs wore set upon them by the Rādha people as soon as the ascetics appeared near their villages (I, 8. 3-4). The mischicf-makers whom the lonely ascetics had to reckon with were the cowherds (gopālakā) who made practical jokes on them (Ibid., 18. 3–10; cf. Mujhima, I, 79: Malasihanatsuttata).