Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 3

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 78

UTTARJJHAYANA AND SOCIO-RELIGIOUS FORMALISM
viz. the Tirthamṁkara, being the greatest of all Brahmanas.24 As regards occupations it seems that the conventional ones were acceptable with certain reservations. It has been said that a Ksatriya, by his innate nature was attached to power and possession25. But he was not only free to renounce his attachment but it was his most sacred duty to do so at the earliest opportunity and take to ascetic practices. This ideal has been established in the ballad of King Nami (Uttar. IX) where a ruling monarch abdicates and decides to become a monk though besought to retain the sceptre and perform chivalrous and heroic acts worthy of a kṣatriya.
A pious householder's life is suggseted to Nami as an alternative to total renunciation; through the observance of Pratimas26, a householder too could gradaully rise to total renunciation. But he prefers to become a houseless ascetic then and there. Rathanemi (Uttar. XXII) invites Rajimati to enjoy the pleasures of the householder's stage of life and thereafter practise asceticism.27 But she rejects it as infirmity. Similar advice is given by Mrga to her son.28 But he convinces her that the sooner worldly life is abandoned the better. Sons of the priest Bhrgu propose to renounce the world in their childhood. The father objects-those who are learned in the Vedas hold that there is no salvation for the sonless one. He advises them to read the Vedas, enjoy the pleasures of life, beget sons and then having entrusted their worldly affairs to their sons, they could retire to hermitage. But they disregard their father's advice and renounce the world in the first stage of their life.29
Thus there is not only the freedom but also a constant encouragement to practise asceticism on all levels and stages of life. But what is much more
24. vide उवासगदसाओ – सद्दालपुत्तज्झयणं । 25. एवं आवट्टजोणीसु पाणिणो कम्म किब्बिसा । न निविज्जति संसारे सत्वट्ठेसु व खत्तिया ||
26. सम्यगदृष्टि, व्रत, सामायिक, प्रोषधोपवास, सचित्त
त्याग, रात्रिभोजन त्याग, ब्रह्मचर्य, आरम्भत्याग, परिग्रह त्याग, अनुमति त्याग, उद्दिष्ट त्याग | 27. एहि ता भुजिमो भोए माणुस्सं खु सुदुल्लहं । भुत्तभोगी पुणो पच्छा जिणमग्गं चरिस्समो ॥
तुमं ।
28. भुंज माणुस्सए भोगे पंचलक्खणए भुक्तभोगी तओ जाया पच्छा धम्मं चरिस्ससि ।।
29. TO XIV.
उत्तर० III, 5.
उत्तर० XXII, 38.
उत्तर० XIX, 43.