________________
Dr. Jacobi and Interpretation of Vasi-Chandana-Kappo
Muni Mahendra Kumar
In connection with my work of editing the works of Jayāchārya, the fourth pontiff of Jain Swetambar Terapanth Sect, I came across the use of the phrase Vāsi-Chandana-Sāmya.
I recalled the same phrase used in the XIXth chapter of the Uttarädhyayana Sūtra, and referred to Dr. Jacobi's translation of the above. UTTARĀDHYAYANA SŪTRA
The XIXth chapter of the Uttarādhyayana Sūtra depicts the story of Mțgāputra, a great Jain é scetic. Mțgāputra was the son of king Balabhadra and queen Mțgā reigning from the beautiful town Sugriva. On seeing an ascetic in the street, prince Mrgāputra recalled bis past lives and found that he had been 'an ascetic' in one of his past lives. Soon he decided to renounce the worldly pleasures and practise asceticism. After a long discussion with his parents, he succeeded in getting their permission, and having renounced the worldly possessions, he adopted the path of self-restraint.
The process of self-purification, which is popularly known as Sādhanā, essentially requires the mind of the ascetic to be trained in such a way that in all favourable and unfavourable conditions,
1. Jayāchārya's Chaubisi, 1/4. 2. Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XLV.
तुलसी प्रज्ञा
145
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
