Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

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Sec. INT STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SÚTRA 21 the Aupapātiku Sūtra, e.g. many hunch-backed, Cilātikās, Barbarikās, upto Pärasīs. The Bhs makes references to other Tirthikas (annautthiyā) and the first schism led by Jamālī in the Nirgrantha order as they are also found in the first Upānga.
It is to be observed in the Rajapraśnīya Sūtra that there occurs an exclamation of reverence addressed to 'Suya devayā Bhagavatī,...... to Paņņatti.' "Namo suya devayāe Bhagavatie namo paņņattie Bhagavaie."
The Jivābhigama Sutra, the third Upānga appears to be a detailed treatment of the Bhs in reference to the astronomical topics dealing with the number of the suns, moons, stars in each of the dvipas (continent-islands). In the fifth Anga there are found many references to the Prajñāpanā Sūtra in regard to various subjects for their detailed treatment.
As regards the questions and answers couched in the style and manner of the dialogues there lies a line of difference between the Bhs and the Prajñāpanā Sūtra that there is no connecting link in the former, where as it is found in the latter,
Parallel references as found in the Bhagavati Sūtra and in
other Angas and Upāngas :The reference to the other canonical works for the detailed treatment of the subjects of the Bhs shows that this fifth Anga was not completed before they were done, as it is evidenced by the fact of the language of allusion to them, e.g. 'Jambuddive ņam bhamte Bhārahevāse imīseosappiņīe kai kulagarā hottbā..... eesim padisattu jahā Sama vāe parivādi tahā ņeyavvā.”
A monotony in the conventional phrases of conversation is found in all the canonical works, e. g. Teņa Kāleņam teņa samayeņam. They echo the same words almost everywhere to convey thoughts and ideas. The general descriptive epithets and phrases expressing the effect of sorrow and joy, affection and anger or depicting the picture of a city are used in all of them
1 Rayapaseniya Sutta, 8. 5. · BRIS, 5,5,203 ; see Samavāyanga, 157, 58,