Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

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Sec. Vil
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
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report of this dreadful warning of Gośāla to Lord Mahāvīra, the Ajzvika leader, followed by his disciples appeared at the Kosthaka Caitya to challenge the veracity of the so-called statements of the Master with regard to his birth and life. Here a serious verbal duel took place between the two leaders reviling each other. Gośāla tried to prove thus by explaining and justifying the doctrine of re-animation (Parivrtya parihāra) that he was not that Gośālo Mańkbaliputra who was the latter's disciple. The Ajavilca leader related that he was born as a male child named Udāyin in the first birth. Having attained the power of intellect and intelligence by observing the vows of ubstinence and practising chastity, he abandoned the body of Udāyin of Kaundinya Gotra outside the city of Rajagrha and entered into that of Aineyaka and he experienced thus the first Purivrtya-parihāra for twenty-two years. Having given up the body of Ainey aka be entered into that of Mallarāina at the Candrāvaturana Caitya outside the city of Uddandapura and bore it for twenty-one years in the second parivștya-parihāra. In the tbird he entered into the body of Mandika by abandoning that of Mallarāma in the Anga-Mandira outside the city of Campā and bore it for twenty years. In the fourth he took birth into the body of Roha by giving up that of Mandika in the Kāmamahāvana Caitya outside Vāņārasi (Vāraṇasī) and carried it upto nineteen years. In the fifth he entered into the body of Bbāradväja by abandoning that of Roba in the Prāptakāla Caitya outside the city of Alabhikā and enjoyed it for eighteen years. In the sixth he took birth into the body of Arjuna Gautainiputra by giving up that of Bhāradvāja in the Kaundikāvana Caitya outside the city of Vaiśāli and bore it up to seventeen years. In the seventh and last Parivrtya-parihāra he entered into the body of Gośāla Mankhaliputra by giving up that of Arjuna just in the premises of the potteress Hālāhalā in Srāvasti, having learnt it firm, constant, durable and fit to bear enduring cold, heat, hunger and different kinds of natural troubles, such as, flies, mosquitos, etc., and endowed with the firmness of joints, and he bore this body at present,