Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s19.t1: Pajjoya and Abhaya
Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c20.s19.t1
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Pajjoya and Abhaya
c20.s19.t1.1
King Pajjoya is said to have fought a number of battles. Once he invaded Rājagaha, when Abhayakumāra is said to have foiled him intelligently. It is said that Abhaya buried iron jars full of dīnāras at a place where the enemy would encamp round the city. When Pajjoya besieged the city, Abhaya sent him a messenger saying that Seniya had already bought over his allies, who would hand him (Pajjoya) over to Seniya, bound hand and foot. If he did not believe it he should dig up the camping ground and see if his confederates had not received the gold. Pajjoya discovered the money and was confused. He was routed by Seniya's army and returned to Ujjenī.¹²⁹
c20.s19.t1.2
¹²⁹ According to the Majjhima (III 7), Ajātaśatru, the son of Bimbisāra, fortified Rājagaha because he was afraid of an invasion of his territories by Pradyota.
c20.s19.t1.3
When Pajjoya reached Ujjenī, he was told how he had been deceived by Abhaya. Thereupon Pajjoya decided to fetch him from Rājagaha. A courtesan set out with seven other women to Rājagaha, where she pretended to be a chaste widow devoted to the Jain faith. One day they met Abhaya in a Jain temple and invited him to a feast when he was made drunk and was carried to Ujjenī in a horse-chariot. Abhaya lived in the court of Pajjoya for a long time and did his ministerial work.
c20.s19.t1.4
Now Abhaya wanted to return home. But before going he took a vow that, as he had been brought by religious deceit (dhammacchalena), he would throw himself into the flames, if he did not avenge himself by taking Pajjoya tied to a bed and crying, through the streets of Ujjenī to Rājagaha. Abhaya left for Rājagaha with his wife.
c20.s19.t1.5
After some time Abhaya returned to Ujjenī with two courtesans and began to live as a merchant. King Pajjoya saw them and was enamoured of them. He sent a female-messenger to them twice or thrice, but they drove her out angrily. Later on, they asked Pajjoya to see them on the seventh day. Abhaya also hired a man to become his brother and feign madness. He was given the name of Pajjoya. He would everyday be tied to a cot, taken to the house of a physician, although he cried aloud that he was Pajjoya. Now at the appointed time, Pajjoya met the two courtesan girls, when he was caught and was bound down to the cot and carried through the city, although he cried that he was Pajjoya. Pajjoya was thus carried away to Rājagaha in the presence of Seniya, who came to kill him with his sword but was prevented by Abhaya. Later on, Pajjoya was honoured and was sent back to Ujjenī.¹³⁰
c20.s19.t1.6
¹³⁰ Ava. cū., II, pp. 159-163