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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c15.s1.t1: Jain Monks and Magical Practices

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c15.s1.t1

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Jain Monks and Magical Practices

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From the earliest ages magic and superstition occupied an important place in the social life in ancient India. Here we come across a number of magical formulas and spells to heal sickness, exorcise demons and overpower enemies, love-charms, formulæ to encompass luck for women, to achieve victory in battles and to find out hidden treasures, etc. Innumerable references to magical practices are preserved in the canonical literature of the Jains.

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The Vijānuvāda Puva was one of the fourteen Purvas of the Jain canon wherein various spells and charms were described¹. According to the Bhagavatī, Gosāla was well-versed in eight divisions of Mahānimitta² and could foretell the profit and loss, happiness and sorrow and life and death of the people. It is stated in the Pamakalpa cūrṇi that the disciples ordained by Ajja Kālaka never stuck to asceticism and so the latter went to the Ājīvikas for the study of Nimitta as already stated. Later on Ajja Kālaka gave a show of his Nimitta in the presence of king Sātavāhana, who was very much pleased with him and wanted to offer him some ornaments which Kālaka refused to accept³. Then Bhadrabāhu was a great Naimittika and was versed in the science of spells (mantravāda), he composed the Upasargaharastotra and sent it to the sangha to avert trouble from a vyantara⁴. Ajja Khauḍa was another Jain saint who is described to be a master of charms.⁵ Thus we notice that the Jain monks practised charms and were versed in exorcism. In time of emergency they got alms by conjuring (vijāpiṇḍa),⁶ employing incantations (mantra-tikkha-joga), and distributing roots and bulbs to cure various diseases⁷ they also employed various medicines for causing impregnation and miscarriage 8 Sometimes when the Jam sādhus were waylaid in a forest, they placated the sylvan deity by means of kāyotsarga 9

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¹ Sama Ṭī 14, p. 24a

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² The eightfold division—(1) bhoma (earthquake), (2) uppāta (any portentous phenomenon boding calamity), (3) suvina (dreams), (4) antalikkha (various colours and forms of the sky resulting from some unnatural phenomenon), (5) anga (movements of limbs), (6) sava (sounding of the birds), (7) lakkhana (fortune-telling from marks of the body) and (8) vañjana (signs of distinction)—Thā, 8 808, cf Uttarā (15-7) which refers to chinna (rending of clothes), sara bhoma, antalikkha, suvina, lakkhana dunda, atthuṇa, angavijjā and saravijjā, Sūya 12 9, Ṭī (Hāṇ) p 660. Also cf Dīgha J p 4 which mentions anga, nimitta, uppādo, supinam, lakkhana and mūvachinna, Law History of Pali literature, I p 82 f, also Manu VI 50

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³ See Supra, p 208, also S B. M, p 260 f

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⁴ Gacchā ur pp 93-96

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⁵ Āsa cū p 542, Nisi cū. (MSS) 10, p 101, also cf Brh Bhā 4 5114f

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⁶ The Piṇḍa, 500 refers to two kṣullakas who by applying collyrium to their eyes made themselves invisible and enjoyed the royal food with king Candragupta

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⁷ Pādalitta sūri is stated to have cured the headache of king Muṭuṇḍa Ān cp 301 also Piṇḍa Ni, 497 f.

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The Ogha mentions the disciples of Mahāvīra who possessed various supernatural powers Some cured the disease simply by touching a patient with their hand At times, the phlegm of another dirt and filth were used as medicines to cure disease By the aid of charms they could assume any form at will (veuvva) could rise through air and their speech became as sweet as milk 10 Sometimes when people suffered from disease or the country was besieged by the enemy or people died of starvation or of enlargement of glume galaguta etc by reciting of a spell the preceptor made a stūpa of sand and by magic spells he won the middle, which caused the purity etc I and he made the subsided 11 During the time of religious discussions and also in achieving victory the monks employed various charms and spells 12 There were books on magic Reference has been made to Joi-pāhuda which was an important work on this subject It is stated that the person versed in this work could generate even animate objects Siddhasena Ācārya is stated to have created magical heroes following the instructions laid down in this work 13 The devices such as making a buffalo unconscious were also mentioned in Jompāhuda 14

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The group of tuṭi, joga and manta is considered as one of the three super human qualities asva 15 The difference between tuṭi and manta is that the former is accomplished by certain magical practices and is presided over by certain female deity such as Prajñāpti etc, while the latter is accomplished just by reciting padharas duha and is presided over by a male deity, such as Hameganī etc 16 Joga is a charm or magical incantation which produces enmity, allurement, eradication of the enemy and cures diseases 17 or it is defined as a magical power of rising through air by anointing one's feet 18 It is stated that the kulapati of Bambhadīva possessed this lore and on aṣṭamī, caturdaśī and other festival days, used to walk on the surface of river 19 Then Ajja Vana was accomplished in this lore and by rising in the sky he went from Purīya to Māhesarī to

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8 See Pinda Nir 497-511 9 Brh. Bhā 1 3108 10 Khārāvaladdhi, Sū 15 p 52, also Āta cū pp 395 f 11 Brh Bhā 4 5106-5113 12 See Uttarā Ti 3, p 72 13 Also cf Nisī cū 1, p 375, Brh Bhā 2 2681 14 Vya Bhā 1 38 also see Sūya Ti, 8, p 165a Pinda Bhā 44, Prabhācakacarita, V, 113-127 Panbasvana Muni is stated to be the author of Jonipāhuda see Ircānta, July Sept. Oct 1939 15 Brh Bhā 1 1235 16 Nisī cū p 748, Brh Bhā 1 1235 ; Nāyā Ti 1, p 7 17 Nisī. cū, p 748, 18 Brh. Bhā. 1 1235, also Dadhuvāhana Jātaka (No. 186), II, p. 103.

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get flowers for the festival of the Pajjosavana.²⁰ Vinhukumāra was another saint who is stated to have made a flight from Gangāmandita mountain to Gayapura.²¹

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²⁰ Āva. cū , p. 396

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²¹ Uttarā Ṭī 18, p 248a.

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The *Brhatkalpa Bhāsya* describes various magical practices such as *Koua*, *Bhūt*, *Pasina*, *Pasināpasina* and *Nimitta*. *Koua*²² constitutes (1) *vinhavana*, i.e., giving auspicious bath at cemetery or cross-roads to procure good luck for women for protecting children²³ : (2) *homa*, i.e., offering oblation to the sacrificial fire for averting evil; (3) *suaṭariraya*, i.e., incantation accompanied with the movements of head (com hands?), (4) *khāradahana*, i.e., throwing salt in fire for the cure of the diseases; (5) *dhūva*, i.e., throwing incense in the fire; (6) *asarisavesaggahana*, i.e., changing apparel, the man taking to the costume of a woman, (7) *aḍayāsana*, i.e., embracing the trees; (8) *utthubhana*, i.e., spitting with the sound *thu thu* for pacification of bad luck and (9) *bandha*, i.e., fastening a talisman. *Bhūtkamma* means besmearing the body with the consecrated ashes as a protective charm.²⁴ Sometimes damp earth was applied or a thread was tied in place of ashes. The monks practised this charm for protecting their residence, body and ritual paraphernalia against thieves etc. *Bhūikamma* is also referred to in the *Āvasyaka curni*²⁵ where it is said that after performing this practice a protective amulet (*rakkhāpoṭṭaliya*)²⁶ was tied to a new born babe. In *Pasina* a question is asked to the deity who descended in a thumb nail, in the leavings left after eating *kamsāra* (a kind of sweet) etc., cloth, mirror, sword, water, wall or an aim. In *Pasināpasina* the question is answered by the deity possessed of charms who appears in dreams; or the *Ghantika* yaksa, the family deity of Dombi, when asked a question, whispers in her ear, and she refers it to others. *Nimitta* was another practice, by which one could have a knowledge of profit and loss regarding present, past and future. *Cūḍāmani* was an important work on *Nimitta*.²⁷ Then there were love-charms which were magically effective and by which women could regain their husband's lost affection.²⁸ The *Nāyādhammakahā* refers to the following contrivances : powder prepared from various ingredients causing stiffness (*cunnajoya*), employment of incantations (*mantajoya*), charms causing leprosy and other diseases (*kammanajoya*), causing beauty (*kammājoya*), captivating heart (*hṛdauddāraṇa*), captivity of body (*kāuddā* and subjugation (*abhiyoga*), fascination (*vaśīkaraṇa*), roots, bulbs skin, creeper cells, kirāta herb²⁹ silāras, pills³⁰ medicine valel and mixture bhesaja³¹

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²² According to the *Vya Bhā*. (1 p 116af), however, *Koua* means wonderful feats performed by a juggler by putting the iron balls in his mouth and taking them out through ear or nose, or taking out fire from his mouth

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²³ The king Siddhattha is described to have performed hundred protective charms (*hou-yasaya*) after taking his bath (*Kalpa* 4 62), cf *Asilakkhana Jātaka* (No 126) I. p 456

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²⁴ Nisi cū 13, p. 850

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²⁵ p 140

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²⁶ *Raksāvaṭi* is described in the *Caraka*, *Śarirasthāna*, VIII, 75, p 155 f

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²⁷ Brh. Bhā. 1 1308-13

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²⁸ The *Sūya Ṭī*. (II, 2 p 336) refers to a mendicant versed in the magical spells He used to carry off the women of Rāyagṛha by his charms Once the king detected him and returned the women to their respective husbands One woman did not want to go back but when the bones of the mendicant rubbed in milk were given to her she returned to her husband,

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²⁹ The *Visi cu* (15 1005) refers to the consecrated flowers given to a woman to fascinate her by a *sārejeska* ascetic

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³⁰ The *Utterā T* (13 p 190a) refers to a pill given by a mendicant to Vandhanu which, keeping in his mouth Vandhanu felt unconscious and the royal servants taking him to be dead left him and went away. The same work (8 p 213a) refers to the maid-servant of king Udayana who was turned beautiful by taking a pill also see Magic in the Sanskrit D ama' by Virgina Saunders *J A O S* Vol 45 2 192)

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³¹ 14 p 152

Cites (4)