Tirthankaras of the Future

Author(s): Nalini Balbir
Publisher: Z_Aspect_of_Jainology_Part_3_Pundit_Dalsukh_Malvaniya_012017.pdf

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Nalini Balbir
ta-kkāle Titthayara caudisa havanti; tāņa padhama-Jiņo antilla-kulakara-sudo Videha-vatti tado hodi. This statement is confirmed on the narrative side by the Kahakosu (XV, 11, 1-2)4 9 and the Bșhatkathäkośa (No. 55, v. 311)50: astāvimśārdha-(i. e. 14 kulagaras yuktasya bhoginah kulakārinah Padmādipungavasyāyam bhavisyati sutah parah.
1.2. Narrative sources.
1.2.1 Narrative sources about F. Ts' previous births.
The most specific characteristic of the F. Ts. is that they are "linked up with the past (... through) those personalities in whom they were once incarnated.”62 I deal with them here and shall start with the analysis of Srenika and VäsudevaKrsna episodes. Both heroes are jointly mentioned in a Prakirņaka-verse as people who became F. Ts. because they were possessed of right faith, though it was not accompanied by conduct :
suddhe sammatte avirao oi ajjei Titthayara-nāmam jaha a gamesi-bhadda Harikulapahu-Seņiāiya (Bhattaparinnā, gā. 67 )58.
In both cases the narrative patterns follow a similar course, irrespective of the version (Svet. or Dig.)54. For their descriptions, the basic text referred to here is the Canonical Antagadadasão 5 about Krsna55. It can be summarized thus : two characters are engaged in a dialogue : a king (Kșşņa; Sreņika) and a Saint (Aristanemi; Mahāvira).
(i) The Saint's prediction to the king 56: he will be reborn as a hellish
being as the result of bad karman. kālamāse kalam kiccă taccāe Valuya-phabhās pud havle ujjalle narae neraiyattāe
uvavajjihisi (S. I. 1173, 30-1174,1). (ii) The king's fear and despondency.
tae ņam Kamhe Vasudeve araho Aritthaņemissa antie eyam artham soccā nisamma ohaya jāva jhlyai (S. I. 1174, 1-2). Possible variations : the king is surprised that such a destiny can be his and would expect the Saint to be able to modify it, but the karmic law is all-pervading and cannot be escaped : e. g. Trişaşti, trsl. vol. VI, p. 238, following Avaśyakatikā and cūrni for Sreņika; Akhyanakamaņikosa
p. 122, gā, 54 for Kịşņa. (iii) Relief given by the Saint: the next existence of the king will be that
of a future T. Curiously enough, this stage does not appear in the Avaśyakaprose commentaries about Srenika57, though the relevant niryukti verse (1158) states that he will become a Jina in the coming age :