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The Origin of the Story of Rāma in Jain Literature
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is another writer who follows him. From the number of authors, who follow Vimala, it is evident that his tradition is highly popular among the Jains.
The versions of Sanghadāsa and Harisena, however, are more related to the Rāmāyana of Valmiki or the Ramopakhyāna of the Mahabharata than to the version of either Vimala or Gunabhadra.
The different works noticed in the Jinaratnakosa but not studied here probably do not contain any new features but reproduce, with some variations, one or the other of the versions treated here. It would not be correct to designate the schools of Viinala and Gunabhadra as Svetambara and Digambara, for some Digambara writers too follow the so-called Svetămbara version of Vimala. The three groups of Jaina Rāmāyanas may conveniently be represented in a tabular form as given on the next page.
II. THE ORIGIN OF THE RĀMA STORY IN JAIN LITERATURE 1. The Problem
With regard to this problem of the origin of the Rāma story in Jain literature three logically possible answers suggest themselves: the story of Rāma in Jain literature (i) preserves an independent tradition anterior to that of Vālmīki, (ii) is derivative in nature being borrowed from the Vālmīki Rāmāyana or the Hindu Rāmāyana in general with suitable changes, (11) partly preserves some features of the very ancient tradition prior to that of Vālmīki and partly borrows some features of the Vālmīki Rāmāyana on account of their vast popularity among the masses. For this purpose it is necessary to investigate the oldest Jaina tradition preserved in the Paümacariya. According to the statement of the poet himself it was composed in 530 A.V. (4 A.D if we accept the traditional date (527 B.C.) of Mahāvíra's Nirvana, or 64 A.D. according to Dr. Jacobi's date (467 B.C.) of Mahävira's Nirvāņa). The researches of modern scholars lead us to believe that Vimala cannot be assigned to a later date than second century A.D. Whatever date we choose to accept, the fact remains that the Paüma-Cariya is the earliest extant Jain form of the story of Rāma. Let us now see what this earliest poet of Jain Rāmāyana has to say regarding the origin of the story of Rāma.
2. The tradition regarding the Origin of the Paüma-Cariya (as recorded by Vimala Sürt himself is as follows)
The Paima-Cariya was in the form of a list of names and was handed down in regular succession from teacher to his disciple. It was first told by Lord Mahavira to Indrabhūti Gautama who retold it to his disciple. It became known to generations of people through
1. Anafas 31139919m 958
alegia 434764 . . -PC. I. 8.
