Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

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

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SÜTRA [Ch. II It is explained by metaphor that "human body is the house of suffering, place of hundreds of diseases, the standing bones like wood covered with veins, nerves, etc, the house of oldness, fesh, decay and it has the nature of fall and destruction.'
In these examples of similes and metaphors the author keeps up the familiar voice by making precision in the words and forms of phrases in each nicely balanced sentence. Here he appeals to the intellect of the readers, working upon the feelings of their responsive minds completely merged in his personality.
Analogy :
He has used many familiar analogies also to explain the abstruse doctrines of philosophy for their clear understanding and realization. For example, an enclosure of he-goats (ayāvaya). compared to the Universe is applied to expound the principle of origination and decay of beings in the space. Just as in one large enclosure of 100 he.goats kept and reared by some person every point of space of it, having the size of an atom gets within six months touched with their excrement, urine upto hoofs, or nails, etc., so also in this extensive Universe there is no point of space having the size of an atom where this soul was not born or did not die. Description of people :--
The inner reactions of man are closely related to his physical being. The author of the Bls professedly makes use of literary flourishes in the description of persons. things, scenes and action, besides for explanatory or illustrative purposes.
The physical condition of a houseless monk named Skandaka as a result of his practice of severe austerities and meditation is compared with that of a bullock-cart loaded with wood, etc., so it, being hot and dry, if drawn by any body, moves or stops with a cracking sound, just like that Skandaka moves, and stops with sound. Like the fire covered with ashes, his body becomes very glowing by the beauty of his spiritual fire.
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