Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

Page 68

Sec. II] STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA Tirthikas, those of the Parivrājakas, like Skandaka, Poggala Ammada, that of Siva, the Vānaprastha tāpasa (forest recluse), those of the householders, like Sudarsana and Somila of Vānijyagrāma, the Sramanopāsaka, Pinglaka and the Sramano pāzikā Jayanti and those of Gośāla Maakhaliputra and his followers,
The first twenty Satakas constitute the essential part of the Bhs and deal with the varied subjects in irregular order, having no trace of recognizable connecting link among these Salakas in reference to the activity and teachings of Lord Mabāvīra in the form of conversations with his disciples, Gautama Indrabhūti and others on various occasions at different places.
In this connection the Master mentions a large number of legends in support of his doctrine to give a clear and concise exposition of his doctrine.
The rest consisting of the twenty-first Sataka and following up to the forty-first is a sort of supplementary to the first part: containing one-twenty Satakas. The second part consists of short treatises, independent of each other, in which the question of living beings, their species and their varied conditions are treated without reference to any legend. Each Sataka of this part bears harmonious contents, but many of the Satakus are co-related with one another, as it is evidenced by the fact that the twenty-first to the twenty-third deal with the plant's life, the twenty-fourth to the thirtieth with different conditions of living beings,-the twenty-fourth with their origin (birth), the twenty-fifth with their leśyā (conditions of soul), etc., the twenty-sixth with the binding of Karma (Karmabandha), the twenty-seventh with their process of action karmakarana kriya etc., the twenty-eighth with their sinful acts (pāpakarma), the twenty-ninth with their Karmaprasthāpanādi, the thirtieth with the four Samavasaraņas (assemblies or schools) and the thirty-first to the fortyfirst with their states during the four Yugmas (rāśis = numbers)', viz. Kitayugma, Tryoja, Diāparayugma and Kalyoja.
1 Dhavala-Tika-Samanvitah; Satlchandagaman.
Parisista, p. 43, (Index).
Pustak-16