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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c15.s2: Superstitions

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c15.s2

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English

Superstitions

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Jain texts give us quite a number of superstitions¹¹⁶ some of which survive even to this day. In the Jain texts we frequently come across the stock-phrase "nhāyam kayabalikammam kayahoyamangalapāyacchittam"¹¹⁷ i.e., having bathed, having made the offering to the house-gods,¹¹⁸ and having performed auspicious and expiatory rites (pāyacchitta). These rites were so common in those early days that they were performed before going to pay a visit to a temple, a saint, king or a great man.¹¹⁹

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¹¹⁶ Cf the *Mahamangala Jataka* (IV No 153) p 75 ff where a variety of omens is preached and it is sad that goodness and kindness are the best omens also *Khuddakapātha*, *Mangala Sutta*, *Ramayana* II 25, III, 69 21 ff

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¹¹⁷ Cf *Naya* 16 p 181 etc, *Kalpa* 4 67

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¹¹⁸ Balikarma is mentioned in the *Rgveda* in the sense of tribute to a king or offering to a god (*Vedic Index* II p 62) *Gautama* V 9-17, also see *Mana era* (ch VIII) *Caraka*, in XI 3 p 1657 *Kathasaritsagara* I ch III, p 21n, *Rama ana* II 71.38

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¹¹⁹ Cf *Naya* 16, 181, 2 51, *Kaya Su* 148, *Kalpa*, 4 67

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Various kinds of superstitions were in vogue in ancient days. The superstition regarding four directions is mentioned¹²⁰ We hear that when a person renounced the world and approached to the Teacher in a litter, he always occupied a seat facing the east.¹²¹ For disposing of the dead bodies, it is stated that first of all the monks should select the south-west direction, then south, then west, then south-east, then north-west, then east, then north and finally the north-east direction should be selected.¹²²

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¹²⁰ See *Brhtsamhita* 85 20 ff and the whole chapter on other superstitions

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¹²¹ Cf *Nāyā* 1, p 31.

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¹²² *Brh. Bhā* 4 5505 f; also cf *Bhag Ārādhana* V 1970 f, cf *Manu* V 92

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Then the ancient people were superstitious regarding planets. It is stated that at the time of taking out a dead body of a monk, a suitable planet must be selected, otherwise the monks would undergo *pāyacchitta*.¹²³ Then superstitions are mentioned regarding travelling; when the monks travelled from one place to another, they took into consideration the *tithi*, *karana* and the *nakkhatta*. The fourth, sixth, eighth, ninth and twelfth days of dark and bright months were considered auspicious.¹²⁴ The sight of the following objects was considered inauspicious : a person wearing dirty clothes, rags or anointed with oil, a dog going from left to right, a hunchback, a dwarf, a woman advanced in pregnancy, an old maiden, a person carrying a load of wood or wearing coloured clothes and a ‘*kuccandhara*’ ascetic.¹²⁵ It is stated that while going to a physician the monks should go in odd numbers either in three or five,¹²⁶ at the time of departure if somebody sneezed or asked question as to where they were going or the monks had a fall or stumbled or their head struck against something, it boded evil.¹²⁷

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¹²³ *Ibid*, 4 5527; also *Bhag Ārā* 1988.

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¹²⁴ *Vya Bhā* 1, 125 ff, p. 40a

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¹²⁵ *Ōgha Bhā* 82 ff p. 74; *Brh Bhā* 1·1545 ff

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¹²⁶ *Bṛh. Bhā* 1.1028.

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¹²⁷ *Ibid*, 1 1921-24.

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The auspicious *tithi*, *karana* and *nakkhatta*¹²⁸ were selected when tradesmen made a sea-voyage. We have already referred to Arhannaga and other merchants of Campā who, after feeding their friends and relations in auspicious time, left for the harbour, and when the *pūsa* (*puṣya*) constellation was in ascendancy, released the ropes of the boat.¹²⁹

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¹²⁸ See also *Brh Samhitā*, chs. 98, 99 and 100.

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¹²⁹ *Supra* p 118

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Among auspicious objects mention is made of twelve kinds of musical instruments being beaten simultaneously (*nanditūra*), full vessel,¹³⁰ the sound of conch-shell and drum, a golden pitcher, umbrella, chowries, conveyance (*vāhana*), carriage (*yāna*), the *samaṇas*, flowers, sweet-balls (*modaka*), curds,¹³¹ fish, bell, and flags.¹³² Although the *sramanas* in general were considered auspicious but it is said that the *rattapadas*, *caragas* and *tāpasas*, including the sick, crippled, those who suffered from sickness, the physicians, those who wore dyed clothes or applied dust to their body boded evil.¹³³ It is stated that the sight of a *cakracara* indicated roaming about at random, that of a *pandwanga* starvation, that of a *tac-cannika* bloodshed and that of a *boliya* death without fail.¹³⁴ Fire in the country of Sindhu and burning of *sung* in Lāta were regarded as good omens.¹³⁵ Among animals and birds, the jackal,¹³⁶ *cāsa*,¹³⁷ peacock *bhāradvāja*, and mungoose were considered auspicious and if they were seen in the south they were considered to bring all wealth.¹³⁸ Then the trees without leaves such as *kaṇṭa* etc., the thorny bushes and trees, the trees shattered due to lightening, those having bitter juice such as *rohiṇī*, *kuṭaja* and *nimba* etc., and the trees burnt of conflagration, were considered as bad omens. Then the bones and the corpse were considered inauspicious and after seeing them a monk was prohibited from studying the scriptures.¹³⁹

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¹³⁰ But the robbers and farmers took an empty jar as auspicious (*Brh Bhā* pi 10)

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¹³¹ Cf *Caraka* (*śarirasthāna*), ch. XII, 70-6,

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¹³² *Bṛh. Bhā*, 1.1549 f,

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¹³³ *Ibid* I 1548, cf I 2291 f

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¹³⁴ *Ogha Bhā* 82 ff p 74, also cf *Brh Bhā* I 2637, I 1431

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¹³⁵ *Āva Ṭī* p 5a

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¹³⁶ Compare however, *La cū* II, p 179, See also ch 89 (*śvāruta*) ch 91 (*vāsavāruta*) and ch 90 (*mṛgaceṣṭita*) in the *Bṛh Saṃhitā*

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¹³⁷ 'There was a belief that by constructing a house at a place where *cāsa* was sitting a king got jewels (*Āva cū* II, 179) There was another belief that eating of a snake imparts the power of understanding the languages of birds and beasts (*Kathāsaritsāgara*, Vol II, ch xx, p 108, f n )

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¹³⁸ *Ogha Bhā* 108 ff

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¹³⁹ *Nisi cū* 19, pp 1171 ff

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Among other superstitions the following may be mentioned the newly born babes were put under the cart for procuring a long life.¹⁴⁰ People put on moist robes while visiting sacred places¹⁴¹ or great persons.¹⁴² We read of the mother of Meghakumāra who at the time of renunciation of her son, collected his hair in a fine cloth, washed them with scented water, put over them the marks of five fingers, moistened with *gosīsa* sandal and tied them in a piece of white cloth. Then she kept them in a jewelled casket which she kept under his pillow with the hope of having a look at them on the occasions of various feasts and festivals.¹⁴³ The priests were employed to perform sacrifice for warding off evil.¹⁴⁴ Then, at the death of a monk various superstitions were observed such as spreading of grass and making images with ashes, brick powder or *nāgakesara* near the dead body.¹⁴⁵ *Chinna* (rending of clothes) was considered another superstition. It is said that when a cloth is smeared with collyrium or lamp-black or dirt, gnawed by rats, burnt by fire, destroyed or eaten at the borders, there arises a good or evil result out of that.¹⁴⁶ Then in a newly constructed house the living of the monks was considered auspicious and the entrance of the doves inauspicious.¹⁴⁷

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¹⁴⁰ *Vivā* 4, p 30

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¹⁴¹ Cf *Rāya Sū* 170

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¹⁴² Cf *Nāyā* 16, p 193, cf *Udāna* 2 17

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¹⁴³ *Nāyā* 1, p 30

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¹⁴⁴ See *Supra*, p 58.

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¹⁴⁵ See *Brh Bhā* 4 5533 ff, *Bhag Bhā* V 1982, 1996 ff

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¹⁴⁶ *Uttarā* by Charpentier, p 336, Varāhamihira treats *vastracchedalakṣaṇam* in ch 70, also cf *Mangala Jātaka* (No 87), I, p 371 ff

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¹⁴⁷ *Vya* 7 48 Also see *Tribes and castes of Punjab and N W Province* Vol. I, pp. 228 ff

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