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Some Jaina Canonical Sutras c12: Chapter VII: Jñātādharmakathā (Nāyādhammakahāo)

Some Jaina Canonical Sūtras c12

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Chapter VII: Jñātādharmakathā (Nāyādhammakahāo)

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The text of *Nāyādhammakahāo* (Skt. *Jñātādharmakathā*) which is also called *Nāyasūya* is the sixth anga of the Śvetāmbara Jain canon. It comes under narrative literature of the Jainas. It is very useful from etymological and grammatical standpoint. Ardha-Māgadhī *Naya* is the same as Sanskrit *Jñāta*. The title may be explained as ‘Stories for the dhamma of *Nāya*’ (*Jñātr*), i.e. Mahāvīra, who is also called Jñātṛputra, *Nāya* or Nātaputta. The text is divided into two *sūyakkhandhas* called *Nāya* and *Dhammakahā*. The former has nineteen *ajjhayanas* and the latter, ten *vaggas*. It contains didactic and religious narratives. The stories found here explain the teachings of Mahāvīra. The text also contains an exposition of elements.

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The story of a mariner reminds us of the Pāli Valāhassa Jātaka (Jāt., No 196). The winged horse occurs in both. Besides legends and fables we find romantic stories and adventures, tales of robbers, mariners, etc. The stories of Dovāī (Draupadī) and a pious layman as found in this text have been introduced to show the destiny of persons through various rebirths. The story of the former is no doubt a corruption of the *Mahābhārata* legend of Draupadī’s marriage with five Pāndava brothers as pointed out by Winternitz.

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The text furnishes us with the names of some of the non-Aryan tribes and refers to eighteen languages, four Vedas, and *sastitantra*, sixteen diseases, etc. There are some graphic descriptions of the bed-chamber of Dhāraṇī, of a demon, six seasons, etc. Some interesting details may be gathered from this text. Kālī, an old maiden (*vaddakumārī*) joined Pārśva’s order and was entrusted to Pupphacūlā, the head of the nuns (*Nāya*., II, 1, pp. 222ff). The succession by primogeniture was then in vogue. The kingdom descended directly to the king’s eldest son and all was right if the king had an heir, but if he died heirless it was a great problem for the ministers (*Ibid*., 14, 153ff). The palaces are described in this text as lofty. They had domes (*thūbhiyā*) and their floors were richly decorated with various kinds of gems and jewels (*Ibid*., I, p. 22). The harem (*oroha*) was a part of the royal pomp (*Ibid*., 16, p. 185). *Sīhaguhā* (mountain cave) is mentioned as a *corapalli* which was located in an unapproachable mountain ravine (*Ibid*., 18, p. 209). A robber was put into prison where his feet were tied in a wooden frame (*Ibid.*, 2, pp. 53ff.). For some slight fault merchant Dhanna of Rāyagiha met with the same fate (*Ibid.*, 2, p. 54). Four varieties of elephants, viz. *Bhadda, Manda, Miya* and *Sankiṇṇa*, are classified according to their seasonal uses, physical strength, intelligence and ability, etc. (*Ibid.*, I, p. 39; *Cf. Sammohavinodanī*, p. 397, mentioning ten kinds of elephants: *Kālāvakañca Gaṅgeyyaṃ, Paṇḍaram Tamba-Piṅgalam, Gandha-Maṅgala-Hemañ ca uposatha-Chaddant’ ime dasāti.*).¹ When Mithilā was besieged by Jiyasattu and other kings, king Kumbhaga closed the city gates and the citizens could not move out (*Ibid.*, 8, p. 112). The paddy was sown during the rains and when ripe the crops were harvested with new sharp sickles, thrashed, winnowed and then taken to the granary where they were kept in new sealed jars (*Ibid.*, 7, 86). Flower-houses were made during festivals (*Ibid.*, 8, 103). Woodgatherers (*kaṭṭhahāragā*), leaf-gatherers (*pattahāragā*) and grass-cutters (*taṇahāragā*) were found roaming about in forests (*Ibid.*, 13, 143). Tortoises were eaten by the people (*Ibid.*, 4). Clothes were moistened with soda (*sajjiyākhāra*) and heated on fire and then washed with clean water (*Ibid.*, 5, 74). Various kinds of cloth were loaded in waggons and carried for sale (*Ibid.*, 17, 203). The king could commute the sentence of death for banishment (*Ibid.*, 8, 107). Mithilā is mentioned as a port and the seafaring merchants of Campā came here for trade (*Ibid.*, 8, 97ff.). Kāḷyadīva was the place where there were rich mines of gold, jewels and diamond and which was noted for horses (*Ibid.*, 17, 201ff.). There was the necessity of passport (*rāyavara-sāsana*) (*Ibid.*, 8, 98).

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¹ The Himalayan forests are said to have abounded in elephants living in herds or as rogues, distinguished as *Vāmanikā* (dwarfish), *Uccākāḷirīkā, Uccā-kanerukā* and *Chaddantā* (six-tusked). The last named class is associated with the Chaddanta lake and is noted for the high quality of the ivory (B C Law, *India as described in early texts of Buddhism and Jainism*, p 65)

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There was the worship of various deities (*Ibid.*, 8, 100). There were taverns and gambling houses (*jūyakhalaya*) (*Ibid.*, 2, 48). The country of Daddara was noted for its sandal wood (*Ibid.*, 8, 98). The town of Hatthikappa or Hatthakappa was visited by the five Pāṇḍavas (*Ibid.*, 16, 199ff.). It may be identified with Hathab near Bhavnagar in Gujarat. The *sayamvara* of Dovāī (Draupadī) was held in the city of Kampillapura² (*Ibid.*, 8, 178). Pāṇḍu Mahura may be identified with Madura in South India. It was the place where the Pāndavas were asked by Kaṇha Vāsudeva to go and reside there (Ibid., 16, 197ff.). Damaghosa, father of Śiśupāla, was invited to attend the marriage ceremony of Dovāī (Draupadī) in Kampillapura (Ibid., 8, 178). Kaṇha Vāsudeva ruled over Varabāī together with many princes and chiefs (Ibid., 6, 68). He had many queens. The five Pāndavas were chosen by Draupadī (Ibid., 16) as her husbands. A rich courtezan of Campā was versed in the traditional sixty-four arts, possessed sixty-four accomplishments of a courtezan and knew the science of erotic very well. She was a linguist, well versed in dialects and an accomplished singer and dancer. There was the sleeping chamber of queen Dhāriṇī as having an outer courtyard, polished pillars, latticed windows, circular stairs, brackets, appertures and a room on the roof. The outside was whitewashed with stone and the inside was decorated with pictures. A mention is made of five kinds of nurses who were engaged to tend children: wet-nurse (khīra), toilet-nurse (maṇḍana), bath-nurse (majjana), play-nurse (kiḷavaṇa) and lap-nurse (aṅka) (Ibid., I, p 21).

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² Or Kūmpilyanagara (*Mahābhārata*, 138, 73-74) which was the capital of southern Pañcāla, identical with modern Kampil in the Farokhabad district, U P (B. C Law, *Geography of Early Buddhism*, p 18, B C Law, *Pañcālas and their capital Ahichchhatra*, M A S I, No. 67, pp 3ff)

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The seven categories are not fully enumerated anywhere in the sūtra. In a few instances, the sūtra refers to the principles of jīva and ajīva (ahigaya jīvājīve).¹ The characteristic feature of the physical body which forms an aspect of ajīva is described in detail. It is full of impurities, it is perishable, it is subject to change and decay. Malli the Videha-princess is found to point out its defects before Jīyasattu and others The text lays special stress on sense-control. This is beautifully illustrated by the simile of the two tortoises and the jackal (4th ajjhayaṇa) The jackal was very eager to appease its hunger by the flesh and blood of the tortoise. But, of the two tortoises, one expanded its limbs, while the other withheld them into its bosom. The jackal could catch hold of the former only, and in the case of the latter, it could do no harm Similarly, one who is accustomed to concentrate his senses towards worldly objects is liable to destruction, while the other who is keen to withdraw them from the worldly objects is not subject to sorrows and afflictions.

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¹ Nāyādhammakahāo (ed N V. Vaidya), pp. 73, 75

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The ideas of āsrava and saṃvara are found in this text, though the terms are not explicitly mentioned therein. The commentator has used these terms āsrava and saṃvara. Āsrava is that which causes the soul to be affected by sins, while saṃvara is the prevention of sins by watchfulness. It is the principle of self-control by which the influx of sins is checked. It is an aspect of *tapas*.

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The doctrine of *indiyajavaṇijja* and *no-indiyajavaṇijja*¹ is expounded to Śuka in the fifth *ajjhayana*. The former speaks of the stage when the senses out of their own accord come under perfect control and thus they cannot function according to the sweet will of the agent. But the latter is far more superior to this. It is the stage when passion, illusion, attachment and the like are totally brought under control. This is possible only when the senses cease to function altogether. Some of the Sāmkhya-yoga teachers are also found to hold similar views (*Yoga-bhāsya*, II, 55).

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¹ *Ibid.*, p. 76

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From the fifth *ajjhayana* we learn that the mendicant Śuka was initiated into the Jaina faith. He with his one thousand followers was an adherent of Sāmkhya and practised the five kinds of restraints and observances having purification (*sauca*) as the basis of his cult (*samkhasamae laddhatthe pamcayama pamcaniyamayuttam soyamūlam*).² Once he happened to roam with his followers in the vicinity of the town of Sogaṃdhiyā where lived a rich man named Sudamsana. The mendicant expounded his own doctrine to him thus, ‘Just listen Sudamsana, our religion is based upon purification (*sauca*) which again is of two kinds: (1) *dravya-sauca* and (2) *bhāvaśauca*. The former is to be practised by earth and water, while the latter is to be done by the aid of *kuśagrass* and by citing some mantras (*amham soyamūlae dhamme pannatte . . . mamtehi ya*)³ By observing these two purifications one may easily reach heaven (*avigghenam saggam gacchati*).⁴

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² *Ibid.*, p. 73.

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³ *Ibid.*, p. 73

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⁴ *Ibid*, p 74

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Our text refers to a bare outline of Sāmkhya doctrine. The above-mentioned *yamas*, *niyamas* (*sauca* only forming an aspect of the latter) are enumerated and explained in the system of Patañjali (II, 30, 32). They are only held to be the means of practising Yoga which again helps one to attain *samādhi* or meditation.

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Sudamsana became a follower of Śuka. Once he happened to meet Thāvaccāputta, a follower of Mahāvīra. A long dialogue took place between them, in which the so-called Sāmkhya view was criticized by Thāvaccāputta and the Jaina view was expounded. The question put before the Jaina teacher is interesting. It is as follows: ‘Well, Sir, are you one, two or many; are you eternal and immutable, or subject to change and decay? (*ege bhavam duve bhavam* . . .

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*anegabhūyabhāvabhavie vi bhavam)*¹ The reply given by the Jaina teacher was based upon Syādvāda (Abhayadeva's commentary, p 588, Calcutta Ed , samvat 1933)

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¹ Ibid , p 77

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This sūtra has been edited with Abhayadeva Sūri's commentary and published by the Āgamodaya Samiti, Bombay, 1916. Another readable and critical edition has been published by Prof. N V. Vaidya of the Fergusson College, Poona, 1940 Steinthal (*Specimen der Nāyādhammakahā*, Diss. Leipzig, 1881), W. Hüttemann, (*Die Jñāta Erzählungen im sechsten Anga des kanons der Jinisten*, Strassburg, 1907), and E Leumann (*Wiener Zeitschrift fur die Kunde des Morgenlandes*, 3, 1889) have also carefully studied this sūtra.

Cites (4)