Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 506

Sec. 1]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SUTRA
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Lord Mahāvīra to Šramana Dharma on his advice. On the fourth occasion the Master had a religious and philosophical debate with a proud Brāhmana of Vānijyagrāma named Somila at the Dutipalasaka Caitya on the following questions : whether he had Yātrā (auspicious activity of life), Yāpaniya (observance or exertion), and Avyābādha (disenselessness); whether Sarsapa, Māsa and Kulattha were eatable or ineatable to the Sramana-Nirgranthas, and whether he was one or two, imperishable, undecaying and constant in many past, present, and future transformations of life. The Brāhmana was fully convinced of the holy teachings of explanations of Lord Mahāvīra to these questions and was finally converted by the Master to Sramaņa Dharma as a Sramanopăsaka on his express desire."
Lord Mahāvīra appeared once on the scene laid at Vaišali in connection with the result of the participation of soldiers in the two great wars called Mahašilākaạtaka Sangrāmas and Rathamusala Sangrāma" as already discussed in the first section of the third chapter. His visit to Kajangalā
It is stated that during his stay at the Chatrapalāšaka Caitya lying outside the city of Kajangalā, Lord, Mahāvīra converted Skandaka, a Parivrājaka of Srāvastī to Sramaņa Dharma on his express desire by explaining the questions to him "Is the Universe finite or infinite ?, is Siddha (the perfect) finite or infinite ?, by what kind of death does the dying being increase or decrease the Universe ?, when Skandaka, having failed to explain these subjects put to him by Pingalaka (a Sramaṇopasaka of Srāvastī) came to this Caitya from there and requested the Master to have their correct answers.
Lord Mahāvīra in Kāmpilyapura
Here in Kampilyapura Lord Mahāvīra initiated and conver
i Bhs, 11, 11, 424. 8 16, 18, 10, 647, 016, 2, 1, 90, 91-92.
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16, 11, 11, 432. 4 10, 7, 9, 300; 7, 9, 301-3. 6 16, 14, 8, 530.