Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 2

Author(s): G C Chaudhary
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

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VAISHALI INSTITUTE RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 2
interpret the word asaṁkhayar bearing in mind that it bears an antithetical relation with the former. Thus the first verse may be interpreted as 'life cannot be improved by external purifications such as the performance of rites etc.- therefore do not waste time in the pursuit of these rites for there is no help against old age and death' etc.
It is not possible to bring asankhayam in antithetical relation with the second interpretation of samkhayā for the ensuing word jiviya hinders it-to say 'do not be careless about the mode of life preached in nonSanskrit scriptures will be too much a strain upon the text and also not very appropriate.
Now if Samkhayās are those who explained the creation with a limited number (Sankhya) of primordial matters and qualities etc, the phrase asamkhayam jiviya(m) will mean life cannot be explained with a certain number of matters and qualities, as the Samkhayas the adherents of the Sankhya system did - therefore don't waste your tiine (in the pursuit of this doctrine) etc. The first explanation is preferable to this one too for that is more straightforward and explicit.
Here it seems the attack is on such systems of thought as somehow or other warrant active indulgence in life. This is further born out by the use of Saṁkhayan at Süyagadan 1--2-2-21 and 1-2-3-10. In the first context the verse runs as follows:
ण य संखयमाहु जीवियं तहवि य बालजणो पगब्भई ।
बाले पापेहिं मिज्जई, इ इ संखाय मुणी ण मज्जई ।। life cannot be improved upon by performance of rites yet foolish people presumptuously adhere to such belief etc. In the other context the verse runs as follows:
ण य संखयमाह जीवियं तहवि य बालजणो पगब्भई।
पच्चप्पन्नेण कारियं को दर्छ परलोयमागए ।। Here the attack on the materialists is quite explicit. On the evidence of this verse it seems more plausible that the f953721H1YTdi of utlarajjhayaņa IV-13 is rendered as a giatalgtar-led astray in the search of the pleasing-than to render it as 94&qlahat as has generally been done.