Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 2

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

Page 39

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VAISHALI INSTITUTE RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 2
Out of these thirty-four atisayas, the first four are inborn, the next eleven arise from the destruction of karmas and the remaining nineteen are divine.
It is obvious that the list of atisayas surpasses the Buddhist list of dhammata so far as supernatural traits are concerned. The Jainas how. ever acknowledge that out of the thirty-four atisayas, only the first fifteen, majority of which may possibly occur in the life of a Tirthankara, are the innate qualities of a Tirthankara. The rest are divine.
It has already been mentioned that the stipulated period which the embryo of the Bodhisatta takes to attain maturity for delivery since, its very conception in the mother womb is of ten months duration,1 In case of the Tirthankaras, the period varies from nine months to nine and half."
Unlike the mother of a Bodhisatta who dies on the seventh day after giving birth to the Bodhisatta," the mother of a Tirthankara normally survives to mourn and bewail the renunciation of her son*. Most probably for this reason, Lord Mahāvīra, in his mother's womb, resolved not to renounce the household life during his parents' lifetime."
a
Besides the atisayas, the distinguished features of the career of the Tirthankaras are the fourteen dreams of their mothers at the time of their conceptions in their mother womb and the five auspicious occasions of their life (pañca-kalyanaka). The fourteen great dreams consist of an elephant, a bull, a lion, the annointing (of the goddess of Śrī), garland, the moon, the sun, a flag, a vase, a lotus lake, the ocean, a celestial abode, a heap of jewels and a flame." The eventful and auspicious occasions of the career of the Tirthankaras are suitably celebrated by the gods which is called Kalyanaka (auspicious). Such occassions are five namely, conception (garbha), birth (janma), renunciation (dikşa), enlightenment (kevalajñāna) and liberation (nirvana).
1. Dighonikaya, part II (Nalanda Edition) Part II, p. 13. 2. Tirthankaracaritra (Krisnalal verma), pp. 136, 201.
3. Dighanikava, (Nalanda Edition), p. 13.
4. Trisastisalakāpuruşacaritra, Vol. I, 488-534.
5. Tae nam samane bbagavam mahavire gabbhatthe imeyaruvam abhiggaham ginhai no khalu me kappai ammapiuhim jivantehim mumde bhavitt agarão aṇagariam pavvaittae-Kalpasitra, 1. 94.
6. Tam jaha-gaya-vasaha-siha- abhiseya-dama-sasi dinayaram- jhayam-kum bham-paumasara-sagara-vimina-bhavana-rayanuccaya-sihim ca.-Kalpasulra,
1.4.
"ee caudasa suvine, savva pasei titthayaramaya jam rayanih vakkamai, kucchimsi mah yaso araha"-Kalpasūtra, 1.47.
7. Tirthankara caritra, pp. 14-31.