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A History of the Canonical Literature of the Jainas c9.s8: Antagadadasā

A History of the Canonical Literature of the Jainas c9.s8

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Antagadadasā

c9.s8.1

This 8th *Aṅga* consists of only one *suyakkhandha*. It has 8 *vaggas*¹ with 10, 8, 13, 10, 10, 16, 13 and 10 *ajjhayaṇas*² respectively. It deals with the lives of the *Antakṛtkevalins* or those who attained omniscience when they were about to die and who on their death became *Siddhas* (liberated).³ The narratives given here are not complete by themselves. For instance, the narration of Prince Goyama given in the 1st *ajjhayaṇa* goes only so far as the dream of Dhāriṇī; for a further link up to the list of wedding presents we have to take passage *mutatis mutandis*, from the *Bhagavaī* (XI, II; s. 430); then, after two short paras taken from this 8 and 5th *Aṅgas* respectively, the material upto the taking of the vows is to be supplied from the 6th *Aṅga*; and thereafter this 8th *Aṅga* gives a little bit of information which gets completed on our referring to the 5th *Aṅga*.

c9.s8.2

¹ This shows that this *Aṅga* is wanting in 2 sections. So some are inclined to interpret its title as 'the fortunes or vicissitudes of the *Antagaḍas*'. They do not translate *dasā* as 'ten'.

c9.s8.3

² See p. 106, fn. 1.

c9.s8.4

³ Cf. अन्तकृतः-सिद्धास्ते यत्र स्थायन्ते वर्धमानस्वामिनस्तीर्थे एतावन्त इत्येवं सर्वकृतान्ता अन्तकृदृशाः।” —Siddhasena Gaṇi's com. (p. 91) on *Tattvārtha* (I, 20)

c9.s8.5

The 1st 5 *vaggas* supply us with some information about the city of Bārāvaī (Sk. Dvārāvatī), Vasudeva, Devakī⁴ and her 8 sons, Kaṇha (Sk. Kṛṣṇa) being the 7th, and the destruction of Bārāvaī.

c9.s8.6

⁴ At the sight of her 1st 6 sons she experiences a similar condition as done by Devānandā and described in the 5th *Aṅga*. See p. 129, fn. 1.

c9.s8.7

In the 6th *vagga* we have the story of Muggarapāṇi and that of Prince Aïmutta⁵. The latter is a riddle story, its seed, so to say being implanted in the following riddle:—

c9.s8.8

⁵ For a portion of his life see the 5th *Aṅga* (V, 3; s. 187).

c9.s8.9

“जं चेव जाणामि तं चेव न जाणामि । जं चेव न जाणामि तं चेव जाणामि”⁶

c9.s8.10

⁶ Cf.—“यस्यामतं तस्य मतं मतं यस्य न वेद सः। अविज्ञातं विजानतां विज्ञातमविजानताम्‌॥” —*Kenopaniṣad* (.II)

c9.s8.11

The 7th *vagga* mentions the names of the 13 queens of Seṇiya and the 8th, penances such as Rayaṇāvalī, Kaṇagāvalī, Sihaṇikkiliya (small and big), Savvaöbhadda (small and big) and Muttāvalī.

Cites (4)