Some Jaina Canonical Sutras

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

Page 69

CHAPTER X
ANUTTARAUPAPĀTIKADASA (ANUTTAROVAVĀI
YADASĀO)
The Anuttarovavõiyadasão 1 (Anuttara-aupapātikadašānga) is the ninth anga which deals with the lives of persons who after their death were reborn as gods. They would therefrom descend to this world, attain human birth and achieve final emancipation. It treats of the ekāvatārins, or the oncereturners (Pāli sukadāgāmins) most of whom are the sons of king Srenika. The stories are mostly abbreviated. The anga consists of three vaggas or divisions; the first containing ten lessons, the second, thirteen and the third, ten, making a total of thirty-three lessons. In Jacobi's opinion the descriptions are very tedious and they consist mostly of endless enumerations.
Though this text is placed in the list of angas, its contents go to show that it presupposes other works of the Jain canoil, particularly the Aupapūtika Sūtra. The list of persons whose examples are set forth in each division is given in verse precisely as in the Amtugadadasāo to which the ninth anga stands no more than a supplement or sequel.
In the Jaina cosmography the middle place is occupied by the world of men. Above this stand the three grades of gods, one above the other, the highest being the Vaimānikas or gods dwelling in their respective lofty mansions. Below them are the Gaiveyyakas and the lowest are known as the Kulpas. The Gaiveyyakas too are provided with mansions of their own.
This anga too is presented in the form of a dialogue put into the mouth of Sudharman and his pupil Jambu. The scene of action is laid in the city of Rājagpha.
In the first division all but Vehalla and Vehayasa are mentioned as the sons of king Sreņika by his queen Dhāriņi and the rest including Abhaya as princes whose mother was the queen Cellanā. It may be noted that the name of Prince Abhaya is met with in the Pāli Nikāyas particularly in the Abhayarājakumāra Sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya (Vol. I, pp. 392–396). The thirteen fortunate men whose examples
1 This text has been edited by Dr. Barnett along with the Amtagadadasão. Dr. P. L. Vaidya has also edited it (Poona, 1932). Abhayadeva's commentary is very helpful,