Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 135

110
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SÜTRA
thieves-viz. thieves (amosa), robbers (Tomahara), cut-purses (ganthibheya), and burglars (takkara).
The robbers committed various crimes, such as, the lifting of cows and other domestic animals, kidnapping of maidservants, children and even nuns, setting fire to villages, towns, houses and forests, destroying of ships, extraction of money from the people by threatening them with the sword, forcible entry into the residence of monks to terrify and threaten them with death.
According to the evidences furnished by the Jaina texts the crime of robbery was punished with imprisonment", mutilation and death-penalty and various kinds of torturesø inflicted on the robbers.
Adultery
The Bhs refers to only one case of adultery? in connec. tion with the religious teachings on the fruit of karmas (actions), but it does not furnish any evidence of a case of adultery which gave rise to the law-suit, In this respect there are found some evidences in several Jaina texts that the adultery was considered
1 Panha, 3, pp. 43a ff. ; Cf. Moh. 1, 233, 5 ff. 9 Utiarādhyana Curņi, p. 174; Cf. Mrcchakalika, IV, 6. For
the reference to the robbing of children from the lap of nurses. $ Ci. V yavahāra Bhāsya 7.71 a; Brhatkalpa Bhasya 6. 6275. 4 Brhatkalpa Bhagya, 3, 3903 f; Anguttara Nikaya, IV, p. 339
Cf. Cora Sutta. "Nayādhammakahao, 2, pp. 53 f. The death of the robber,
Vijaya in jail without food. 5 Commentary on the Uttarādhyayana Sutra 4, p. 94a f :
(Mandiya was impaled); Vivāga Suya 3, pp. 24 f. 6 Acaranga Curni 2, p. 65.
For the crime of robbing the purse of a merchant, a Brahmana was given lashes, and forced to take excreta and his whole property was confiscated. ? Bhs, 8, 5, 328. 8 Vivāga Suya 2, p. 18 f. (see Kamvira Jataka III, No. 318,
Sulasā Jātaka III No. 419 for a similar description ; see also Yajñavalkya-Smrti III, 5, 232f., Manu VIII, 372 f) (A mer. chant's son of Vaniyāgrāma was executed for his crime of adultery with Kāmajjhayā, a keep of the king); Vivāga Suya4, p. 31. (Sagada's adultery with Sudarsanā, a keep of the king's minister is referred to ; both of them were put to