Story Of Rama In Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Saraswati Pustak Bhandar

Page 83

Pauma-Cariya of Vimala Sari जिणवरमहाओ अस्थो, जो पुद्धि निग्गओ बहुवियप्पो ।
सो गणह रेहि धरिउ, संखेवमिणो य उवइहो ।। Munisti Kalyanavijayaji takes this as an important reference in favour of the Svetämbara authorship as it agrees with the Svetāmbara belief regarding
the character of Jina's speech. (ii) The Paumacariya (11.26) refers to the extraordinary feat of 'Meru-Kampana'
by his thumb by the Jina just in sport; on account of this fact gods gave
the Jina the name Mahavira. 57 (iii) The Paumacariya (11.36-37) describes that Lord Mahāvira after obtaining
per ect knowledge wandered from piace to place enlightening 'Bhavya' souls and arrived at the Vipula mountain. According to Dr. Hiralal Jain and Dr. Upadhye this statement favours the Svetambara authorship. The Digambara tradition states that Malāvira observed silence for sixty-six days
and then reaching Vipula mountain preached his first discourse. (iv) The Paumacariya (I1.33) refers to the supernatural power (atibaya), viz., of
Mhālia's treading lotuses placed in front of him by gods.98 (v) Pumacariya (11.82) gives 20 as the number of Jina-kāranas, 59 which agrees
with the number of Jina-kāranas given in the Nāyādhmmakahão, VIII. 1-2. (vi) The Paumacarija (III.62, XXI.12-14) gives 14 as the number of dreams
dreamt by Marudevi and Padmāvati, the mothers of Rşabha and MuniSuvrata (the Jinas) respectively. 60
It deserves special attention that the gāthā 12-997 etc. (XXI. 13) is in
complete agreement with the Nāyādhammakahão, I.1. (vii) The number of the wives of Bharata, the Cakravartin, is given as 64000
in the Paümacariya (IV.58); similarly the number of the wives of Sagara,
the Cakravartin, is given as 64000 in the Paümacariya (V. 168). 61 57 Acārya Ravişena (II. 76) too describes this supernatural feat. It should not, therefore, be
regarded as a peculiarly Svetāmbara belief. Ācārya Gūnabhadra, however, records a different tradition regarding the marvellous feat which was responsible for the name Mahavira
(Uttara urāna, LXXIV. 289-295). 58 Ācārya Raveşena (II. 98) refers to this ‘atisaya' of Lord Mahāvira. It should not, therefore,
be considered as a peculiar Svetämbara feature. 59 Ācārya Kavişena (11.192) gives the number as 16. The Tattvärthadhigama-sūtra, however,
gives 16 as the number. So this statement is not very significunt in the present context. 60 Ācārya Ravişena (II. 123, f, XXI.13f) gives the number of dreams as 16.
It should be noted here that the Paumacariya specifically gives the number of dreams as 14 (XXI. 12.14). Pandit Premi's argument (based on the number 15) that Paumacariya preserves a tradit on quite different from that of either Svetāmbaras or Digambaras proves, therefore, untenable. It should also be noted that Ravişeņa gives 'Minayugala' in place of 'Dhvaja', adds
Simhasana after 'Sagara', and makes Vimana' and 'Bhavana' as two separate dreams. 61 Ācāra Rav şena (IV. 66 v. 247) states the rumber of wives to be 96000.