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Some Jaina Canonical Sutras c8: Chapter III: Sūtrakṛtāṅga (Sūyagaḍaṃga)

Some Jaina Canonical Sūtras c8

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English

Chapter III: Sūtrakṛtāṅga (Sūyagaḍaṃga)

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The *Sūtrakṛtāṅga* is the second *aṅga* and is probably much older than the *Uttarādhyayana* which resembles the *Sūtrakṛtāṅga* with regard to its objects and some of the topics treated. The object of the *Sūtrakṛtāṅga* is to guard young monks against the heretical opinions and to guide them to obtain the highest good.¹ It may be treated as the most valuable guide for young monks. According to Jacobi it lays some claim to poetical art in the variety of the metres employed and in the artificial character of some verses. It may therefore be considered as the composition of one author. Jacobi is right in pointing out that the views of the agnostics (*ajñānavādins*) are not clearly stated in the Jain texts and the explanation of the commentators is vague and misleading. But from Buddhist writings we may get a pretty correct idea of what agnosticism was like.² It must be admitted that the philosophic ideas current at the time of the Buddha and Mahāvīra are of the greatest importance to the historian of that period. In the opinion of Jacobi, Mahāvīra has established the *syādvāda* in opposition to the agnosticism of Sañjaya.

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¹ *Jaina Sūtras*, (SBE), pt II, p xxxviii

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² Of the doctrine of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta in the *Sāmaññaphala sutta* of the *Digha Nikāya* of the *Suttapiṭaka*, and its elaboration in the *Brahmajāla sutta* (*Digha*, I)

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The *Sūtrakṛtāṅga* has three commentaries: (i) Silāṅka's *Ṭīkā* which is the oldest commentary extant, (ii) the *Dīpikā* composed in 1517 A.D., and (iii) a Gujrati gloss known as *Bālāvabodha*. This text has been published with various commentaries in the *Āgamasaṃgraha*, Vol. 2, Bombay, 1880. The *Āgamodaya Samiti* has also published this text with Silāṅka's commentary (1917). This text has been translated into English by Jacobi in S.B.E., Vol 45, and some selected sections have been translated into German by Schubring—‘*Worte Mahāvīras*’. Dr. P. L. Vaidya's edition of this text (*Sūyagadam*, Poona, 1928) deserves mention.

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As regards Mahāvīra, the founder of Jainism, he is represented as the great teacher who possessed infinite knowledge and infinite faith and who put the law in a true light like a lamp. He saw everything. He had no impurity. He was virtuous, of a fixed mind, the highest and the wisest in the whole world. He had broken all ties and he was above danger He shone forth, endowed with many virtues. After having taught the highest law, he practised the highest contemplation (*śukladhyāna*).¹ After having annihilated all his karma, he reached the unsurpassable highest perfection. He was omniscient and the best of those who have taught nirvāna As chastity is the highest of austerity, so Mahāvīra is the highest of men As nirvāna is the chief object of the law, so there is no one wiser than Mahāvīra. He understood the doctrines of the kriyāvādins, the akriyāvādins, the vinayavādins² and the ajñānavādins.³ He mastered all philosophical systems and practised control as long as he lived He abstained from the company of women and from eating at night. He practised austerity for the removal of pain He led a religious life without using cold water for more than a couple of years He realized singleness, guarded his body, got intuition and was calm. He did not use what had expressly been prepared for him. He well saw bondage coming through action. He did not use another’s robe, nor did he eat out of another’s vessel. He could walk attentively looking on his path He did not seek sleep for the sake of pleasure. He sustained fearful and manifold calamities. Always well controlled he bore the different sorts of feeling. Always well guarded he bore pains caused by grass, cold, fire, flies, etc. He travelled in the pathless country of the Rādhas in Vajjabhūmi and Subbhabhūmi; he used there miserable beds and seats He patiently endured the abusive languages of the peasants, being perfectly enlightened. He was struck with a stick, his flesh was cut off and his hair was torn. But he sat there motionless He was able to abstain from indulgence of the flesh, realizing that uncleanliness of the body, anointing of the body, shampooing, and bathing were considered useless He did not drink for half a month or even for a month He did not drink even for six months. Sometimes he ate stale food He committed no sin, nor did he induce others to do so. He meditated, being free from sin and desire and not attached to sounds or colour.⁴

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¹ *Śukladhyāna* is not only the highest but also the purest meditation It is one of the two good ways of meditation

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² *Cf* Sīlabbataparāmāsa in Buddhism—*Khuddakapātha*, p 5 *Cf* Sutta-nipāta, verse 231, Vinaya, I, 184, Majjhima, I, 433, Dhammasangani, 1005, Anguttara, III, 377, IV, 144ff , Mahāniddesa, 98

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³ *Vide Sūtrakṛtānga*, II, 5 The upholders of *ajñānavāda* are represented as those thinkers who, pretending to be clever, reason incoherently and do not get beyond the confusion of their ideas (*Sūtrakṛ*, I, 12 2) Inefficiency of knowledge is the real upshot of *ajñānavāda* (*Uttarādh*, XVIII, 23)

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⁴ *Cf* Ācārānga Sūtra, I, 8

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Now let us pass from the teacher to the teachings, according to which a wise man should not be angry if reprimanded. He should be of a forbearing mood. He should not associate with mean persons. He should not do anything mean (caṇḍālīya).¹ He should meditate by himself after having learnt his lessons. He should never deny it if he has done anything mean. He should not commit any evil act. He should not speak unasked for. He should not tell a lie when asked. If the self is subdued a person will be happy. It is better to subdue one's own self by self-control and penance than be subdued by others with fetters and corporal punishment.² He should never do anything disagreeable to the superiors (Buddhānam, enlightened ones) either in words or deeds, openly or secretly. He should never remain silent if spoken to by the superior. He should always politely approach his teacher.

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¹ He should not behave like a Caṇḍāla It really means places where people of low caste live There was a belief in Buddha's time that the Caṇḍālas used to bring bad luck to those who saw them (Jāt, IV, 235) They were so much hated by the Brahmins that some among them on account of having tasted the food of a Caṇḍāla were put out of caste (Jāt, IV, 235), vide also B C Law, Concepts of Buddhism, pp 11ff

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² Cf Uttarādhyayana, I, 16

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A wise man believes in the existence of the soul. The Jains do not deny the existence of the soul but the unalterable character of the soul.³

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³ Cf Sūtraḳtānga, I, 12 21, Majjhima, I, 483, Sūtraḳtānga, I, 6 27, I, 10 17

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The road to final deliverance depends on four causes and is characterized by right knowledge and faith. The road as taught by the Jinas consists of (1) right knowledge, (2) faith, (3) conduct, and (4) austerities. Human beings will obtain beatitude by following this road. Knowledge is five-fold: knowledge derived from the sacred books (śruta), perception (ābhinibodhika),⁴ supernatural knowledge (avadhi),⁵ knowledge of the thoughts of others (manaḥparyāya), and the highest and unlimited knowledge (kevala).

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⁴ Knowledge which is derived from one's experience, thought or understanding

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⁵ Cf Kalpasūtra, 15—Ohinā ābhoctāne

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The knowledge of substances, qualities and all developments⁶ has been taught by the Jinas. Substance is the substratum of qualities, the qualities are inherent in one substance but the characteristic of developments is that they inhere in substances or qualities. Dharma, adharma, space, time, matter, and souls are the six kinds of substances.¹ *Dharma*, *adharma* and space—each of them is a substance but time, matter, and souls form an infinite number of substances. The characteristic of *dharma* is motion, that of *adharma* is immobility ² and that of space (*ākāśa*) is to make room The characteristic of time is duration (*vartanā*), that of soul is the realization of knowledge, faith, conduct, austerities, energy and realization of its developments The characteristic of matter is sound, darkness, lustre, etc. The characteristic of development is singleness ³

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⁶ Dravya, guṇa and paryāya Cf Sūtraḳtānga, I, 12 Bom Ed, 482, Cf Uttarādhyayana, XXVIII, 7

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¹ They are imperishable and eternal by their very nature—*Sūtrakṛtānga*, I, 1 15-16

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² *Sūtrakṛ*, I, 1 2 2 3, I, 1 4 8

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³ *Cf Uttarādh*, XXVIII, 13

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A person who owns a small property in living or lifeless things or consents to others holding it, will not be delivered from misery ⁴ If he kills living beings or causes other men to kill them or consents to their killing them, his iniquity will go on increasing A sinner who makes the interest of his relations and companions his own will suffer much. His wealth and his nearest relations cannot protect him from future misery. According to atheists the five gross elements, earth, water, fire, wind, and air, are the original causes of things, from them arises *ātman*, on the dissolution of these five elements, living beings cease to exist. Every body has an individual soul. These souls exist as long as the body exists but after death they are no more There are no souls which are born again. There is neither virtue nor vice, there is no world beyond, on the dissolution of the body the individual ceases to be.⁵ Some hold that when a man acts or causes another to act, it is not his soul which acts or causes to act. The fatalists hold that pleasure and pain, final beatitude, and temporal pleasure and pain are not caused by the souls themselves nor by others, but the individual souls experience them It is the lot assigned to them by destiny. According to Mahāvīra, those who hold this view do not understand that things depend partly on fate and partly on human exertion. The doctrine of the *akriyā-vādins* ⁶ augments the misery of worldly existence of those

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⁴ *Sūtrakṛtānga*, I, 1 2

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⁵ *Ibid*, I, 1 11 12

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⁶ Both Mahāvīra and Buddha declared themselves as *kriyāvādins* or upholders of the doctrine of action The doctrine of action which Mahāvīra

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*cittamamtamacittam vā parigṛhya kṛsāmav |*
*annamvā anujānār evam duḥhānamuccar ||*

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*Patteam lasine āyā, je vālā je a pamṛhā |*
*samti piccā na te samti, nattvi sattoravāryā ||*
*Nattvi puneva pāvevā, nattvi loe tto pare |*
*sarirassa vināsenam, vināso hoi dehino ||*

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people who do not well consider the nature of acts. He who intends to kill a living being, but does not do it by his bodily act, and he who unknowingly kills one, both are affected by that act. There are three ways of committing sins: by one's own action, by commission, and by approval of the deed. One reaches Nuvāna by the purity of heart. Some hold that the soul of a person who is pure will become free from bad karma on reaching beatitude. The world is boundless and eternal. In this world living beings suffer individually for their deeds. A learned or a virtuous man will be punished for his deed when he is given to actions of deceit. Men who are drowned in lust and addicted to pleasures will be deluded for want of control. One should exert and control oneself and follow the commandments proclaimed by the Arhats Heroes of faith who do not commit sins, and exert themselves aright, who subdue anger and fear, will never kill living beings. A worthy and wise man should be careful in this world. He who has entered the road leading to the destruction of karma, who controls his mind, speech, and body, who has given up his possessions and relations, should walk about subduing his senses. A sage bears pleasant and unpleasant things. He also bears three kinds of calamities arising from beasts, men and gods. He should not fear for his life. A wise man should not quarrel, should possess right conduct, and should be guarded in his words and thoughts. He should adopt for his welfare the best and the highest law proclaimed in this world by the Jina. A person should look at beatitude as the end in view. Virtuous men regard pleasures as equal to diseases The unhappy suffer again and again from delusion. When calamity befalls a man or the end of his life draws near, he must go. The wise believe that there is nothing to protect him All living beings owe their present form of existence to their own karma. The wicked suffering latent misery err about in the circle of births, subject to birth, old age and death. Misery is caused by oneself and not by others (Sayamkaḍam nannakaḍam ca dukkhaṃ—Sūtk., 1.12 ) One should not kill living beings in the three-

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taught makes men conscious of their responsibility for all their acts, mental, vocal or bodily This doctrine has also awakened the consciousness that salvation is not a gift of favour but an attainment within human possibility In the teachings of Mahāvīra kriyāvāda is sharply distinguished from akriyāvāda (doctrine of non-action), ajñānavāda (scepticism) and vinayavāda (formalism), precisely as in the word of the Buddha Buddhism has been promulgated as a form of kriyāvāda or karmavāda In order to arrive at a correct understanding of the doctrinal significance of kriyāvāda in Jainism it is necessary not only to see how it has been distinguished from akriyāvāda, ajñānavāda and vinayavāda but also other types of kriyāvāda fold way (by thoughts, words, and acts) being intent on spiritual welfare and abstaining from sins ¹

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¹ Sūtrakṛtāṅga, I, 2 3 21

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A sinner does not confess his wrong but rather boasts of it when reprimanded. The adulterers are severely punished. A fool who is bound in the fetters of sensuality will be subject to delusion again and again.

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The following classes of living beings have been declared by the Jinas earth, water, fire, wind, grass, trees, corn and movable beings, viz oviparous and viviparous, those generated from dirt and those generated in fluids People are wicked, who kill beings for the sake of their own pleasure. Reckless men who cut the sprouts down out of regard for their own pleasure, destroy many living beings Sprouts are beings possessed of natural development. People are wicked, who destroy seeds for their own pleasure A wise man who knows the truth, should know and understand that all beings desire happiness. All creatures who have committed sins will suffer A miserable man who becomes a monk in order to get food from others and a flatterer by the desire of filling his belly will come to grief Wrong beliefs and bad conduct are worthless A servile man should not desire pleasant sounds and colours but conquer his longing for all kinds of pleasures.

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Sinners, subject to love and hatred and doing wrong, acquire karma arising from passions and commit many sins. The careless commit sins by thoughts, words, and acts. A cruel man does cruel acts and is thereby involved in other cruelties. Sinful undertakings will in the end bring about miseries. A pious monk, who is free from bonds and has done away with all fetters, annihilates his bad karma and removes the thorn of sin. Following the right conduct he exerts himself. A wise man can conquer his greed and enter upon the noble path When a wise man comes to know that the apportioned space of his life draws towards its end, he should in the meantime quickly learn the method of dying a religious death ² The virtuous exert themselves with regard to the distant end, i e., liberation. One should live indifferent to one's own happiness, calm and without attachment. The iniquity (vaira) of all men, who cling to property, goes on increasing A wise man should be content with such food and drink as will sustain his life. He knows

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² Cf Uttarādhyayana, Ch V

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Ṭhidenavi pāṇa māhane, āyadite anyyāna samvuuhe |
Evam siddhā anam taso sampai je anāgayāvare |

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all worldly vanities and renounces them and thus brings about his final liberation.

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He should mortify his flesh thinking of his duty and giving up his sorrows, without regard to worldly interests. One should try to realize that he is single and alone, thereby he will obtain liberation which is not anything unreal but the best thing. A man possessed of carefulness will be a saviour to others in all circumstances. A pious monk, free from bonds, should wander about desiring neither honour nor fame.

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The *akriyāvādins* who do not understand the truth bring forward various opinions. They, having a perverted intellect, do not recognize the action of the soul, though it does exist and act.

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Those men whom women cannot seduce are directed towards liberation by their pious acts and they show the way to others. One should not yield to temptation; being free from faults, he has reached the incomparable cessation of *karma*.¹

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¹ *Sūtrakṛ*, I, 15. 9 and 12

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He is a *Brāhmaṇa* because he has abstained from all sinful actions, *viz.* love, hatred, quarrel, calumny, backbiting, deceit, untruth, etc. He possesses *samitis*, always exerts himself, and he is not angry nor proud.

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He is a *Nirgrantha* (Jaina) because he is single, awakened and well-disciplined. He knows the absolute *ātman*, possesses *samitis* and equanimity; he knows the true nature of self; he has renounced the causes of sin; he does not desire fame, respect and hospitality; he knows the law and endeavours to gain liberation; he lives well-restrained.

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The atheists contend that those who maintain that the soul is something different from the body cannot tell whether the soul is long or small, globular or circular, triangular or square, whether black or blue or red or yellow or white, whether bitter or pungent, whether hard or soft.²

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² *Sūtrakṛ*, II, 1 15.

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A man cannot experience what another has done, that is, his *karma*. Individually a man is born, individually dies, individually he falls from the state of existence, and individually he rises.³ His passions, consciousness, intellect,

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³ Of the Buddhist idea of rises and falls of beings as individuals according to their deeds.

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*Itvinu je na sevanti, āmmokhā du te janā |*
*te janā vamdhanummukkā, nāvakamkhamti jīviyam ||*
*Nivāre va na liejjā, vinnasoe anāvile |*
*anāle sayā damte, samghim patte anehsam ||*

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perceptions and impressions belong to the individual exclusively¹

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¹ Sūtakr, II, 1 41.

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Sentient beings practise the following kinds of activity: sinning for one's own interest, sinning without a personal interest, sinning by slaying, through accident, by error or sight, by lying, by taking what is not freely given, by a mere conceit, through pride, through greed, through deceit, through bad treatment of one's friends, and actions referring to a religious life.²

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² Sūtakr, II, 2 4

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A wise man should neither himself commit violence nor order others to do so nor consent to the violence done by somebody else. A clever man should not be defiled by sin. All beings are fond of life, like pleasure, hate pain, shun destruction and desire to live.³ To all life is dear. The clever one who adopts the true faith stands in the right place. The world is greatly troubled by women. He is called a hero who is not vexed by the hardships caused by control. The hero does not tolerate discontent and lust; he is not careless; he is not attached to the objects of the senses. A sage who adopts the life of wisdom should treat his gross body roughly. He who has right intuition uses mean and rough food. A wise man who knows the world and has cast off the idea of the world should prudently conquer the destruction to righteousness. Giving up all gaiety, circumspect, and restraint, one should lead a religious life. The liberated one conquers wrath, pride, deceit, and greed. He who conquers one passion, conquers many and he who conquers many conquers one. A wise man should avoid love, hatred, delusion, conception, birth, death, hell, animal existence, anger, pride, deceit, and greed. For the liberated and inactive there is no passage from birth to birth. The greatest temptation in this world is woman. When strongly affected by the influence of the senses he should mortify himself, stand upright, wander from village to village, take no food at all, and withdraw his mind from women. The self is the knower or experiencer and the knower is the self. Some who embrace the law will practise it, being careful about its outward signs, not giving way to worldliness, but being firm. Quitting all worldliness, one should bear all disagreeable feeling being possessed of the right view (samyakdarśana).¹ Those who deserve to be called fools are born again and again. The learned, wise, and steadfast hero will always be victorious in right faith. A saint with right intuition, who cherishes compassion for the world, should preach, spread and praise the faith, knowing the sacred law (vedavid). He should proclaim it among those who exert themselves, not neglecting tranquillity, indifference, patience, liberation, purity, uprightness, gentleness and freedom from worldly cares. One should preach the law of the mendicants to all kinds of creatures. A man who exerts himself is of a steady mind without attachment, unmoved by passion, having no worldly desires, such a man should live the life of an ascetic. The noble ones having impartially preached the law, those who are awakened should not wish for pleasure. One who is free from passions is self-controlled, knowing birth in the upper and nether regions. One who is free from desire, cherishes piety.

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³ Cf Sabbe tasanti dandassa sabbe bhāyanti maccuno, attānam upamam katvā na haneyya na ghātaye Sabbesam jīvitam piyam (Dhammapada, Dandavagga, vv, 129-130) All are afraid of punishment, all fear death, making oneself the type one should not strike or kill To all life is dear

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¹ *Samyakdarśana* or right faith consists in an insight into the meaning of truths as proclaimed and taught, a mental perception of the excellence of the system as propounded, a personal conviction as to the greatness and goodness of the teacher and a ready acceptance of certain articles of faith for one's guidance It is intended to remove all doubt and scepticism from one's mind, and to establish or re establish faith It is such a form of faith as is likely to inspire action by opening a new vista of life and its perfection Right faith on the one hand, and inaction, vacillation on the other, are mutually incompatible Of the Buddhist idea of right view (*sammādiṭṭhi*) which conveys the sense of faith or belief rather than that of any metaphysical view or theory. It is precisely in some such sense that the Jains use the term *sammādamsana* *Sammādiṭṭhi* suggests an article of faith which consists in the acceptance of the belief that there is such a thing as gift, that there is such a thing as sacrifice, etc (Cf. *Sāleyyaka Sutta*, *Majjhima*, I, pp 285ff) There cannot be right faith unless there is a clear pre-perception of the moral, intellectual or spiritual situation which is going to arise Right faith is that form of faith which is only a stepping stone to knowledge (*paññā*) It is the faith or conviction acquired by a Buddhist stream-attainer who is sure to reach the goal

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The first great vow of the Jains is abstinence from killing living beings.² A Jain is careful in his walk. He searches into his mind and speech. He is careful in laying down his utensils of begging. He eats and drinks after proper inspection. The second great vow is avoidance of falsehood.³ A Jain speaks after deliberation. He comprehends and renounces anger, greed, fear, and mirth. The third great vow is avoidance of theft.⁴ A Jain begs after deliberation for a limited space. He consumes his food and drink with the permission of his superior. A Jaina who has taken possession of some space should always take possession of a limited part of it and for a fixed time. He should constantly have his grant renewed. He may beg for a limited ground for his co-religionists after deliberation. The next vow is avoidance of sensual pleasures.¹ A Jaina should not continually discuss topics relating to women. He should not regard and contemplate the lovely forms of women He should not recall to his mind the pleasures and amusements he formerly had with women. He should not eat and drink too much. He should not drink liquor or eat highly seasoned dishes ² He should not occupy a bed or a couch belonging to women The last great vow is freedom from possessions ³ If a living being with his ears hears agreeable or disagreeable sounds, he should not be attached to them If he with his eyes sees agreeable or disagreeable forms, he should not be attached to them. If he with his nose smells agreeable or disagreeable smells, he should not be attached to them. If he with his tongue tastes agreeable or disagreeable things, he should not be attached to them If he with his organ of feeling feels agreeable touches, he should not be attached to them

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² Of the ten precepts of the Buddhists, *pāṇātipātā-veramaṇī*

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³ Cf. *Musāvādā-veramaṇī* of the Buddhists.

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⁴ *Adinnādānā-veramaṇī*

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¹ Abrahmacariyā-veramaṇī According to some these four vows are the same as the four restraints in Jainism (Cf Sūtrakr , II, 7 17)

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² Cf Surāmerayamajja-pamādaṭṭhānā-veramaṇī

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³ Buddhist Jātarūparajatapaṭiggahaṇā veramaṇī

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The Jains join hands with the Buddhists in grouping Pūraṇa Kassapa’s doctrine under a kriyāvāda (Sūtrakṛtānga, I, 1. 1–13). Makkhali Gosāla is the propounder of the theory of evolution of individual things by natural transformation. What Ajita really contemplated was not to identify body with soul or matter with spirit but to point out that the particular object of experience must be somehow viewed as an indivisible whole (Sūtrakr., II, 1. 15–17) An important passage of the Sūtrakṛtānga (I, 1 13) clearly states that his was really a theory of the passivity of soul. The logical postulate of Kavandin Kātyāyana’s philosophy is no other than the Permenedian doctrine of Being. Nothing comes out of nothing (noya uppajjae asam). What is does not perish; from nothing comes nothing (sato nacci viṇāso, asato nacci sambhavo).

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In a passage of the Sūtrakṛtānga (Jaina Sūtras, II, p 411) a Jaina accuses Makkhali Gosāla of immoral habits but Buddha’s account prominently brings out the fact that the Ājīvikas were far from being profligate and immoral It is interesting to note that the idea of right living (sammā ājīvo) which the Ājīvikas advocated, was taken by the Jainas and Buddhists mainly from them.

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The Sūtrakṛtāṅga refers to Rājagṛha as a rich, happy and thriving city (Jaina Sūtras, SBE, II, 419). There lived a friar well-versed in magic art at Rājagṛha. He carried off every woman he saw. The king being informed of it was determined to find out the friar and punish him. The friar was killed by the king who released all the captured women; one of them refused to return to her husband being smitten with love for her seducer. Being advised she was made to drink the milk mixed up with friar's bones. This took the spell off her and cured her of her strange passion (Jaina Sūtras, II, p. 383, f.n. 1).

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At Nālandā there was a rich and prosperous householder named Lepa who had a beautiful bathing hall. There was a park called Hastiyāma. Once Gautama Buddha lived at Nālandā. He had a discussion with Udaka, a Jaina and a follower of Pārśva. He failed to accept Gautama's views as to the effect of karma (Sūtrakṛ., II, 7; Jaina Sūtras, SBE, II, pp. 419-20).

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The Hatthitāpasas mentioned in the Sūtrakṛtāṅga were those who used to kill every year one elephant for the purpose of food on the ground that thereby they minimized the slaughter of life (Jaina Sūtras, II, p. 418). The Brahmin lawgivers prohibited the eating of some kinds of fish and flesh. But this selection does not prohibit the eating of all kinds of fish and flesh enjoined by the religious feeling of the recluses. The Upāli sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya (I, 377) contains an interesting discussion of this subject. The Jain householder Upāli points out that according to his Master every act of killing is a cause of demerit whether the act be intentional or not. Buddha demurred to this view of Mahāvīra. He thought that a man does not commit any sin if the act be unintentional. It is impossible, according to the Buddha, to abstain from killing, for even in moving about a man is bound to put to death many lives. The Jainas took exception to the Buddhist view and an interesting account of it is given in the Sūtrakṛtāṅga (Jaina Sūtras, II, pp. 414-417).

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It is interesting to note that the sinners come to the great impassable hell called Asūrya,¹ i.e., where the sun does not shine. Here also they are roasted. The sinners are hewn with axes like pieces of timber. They are stewed in iron caldrons filled with their own blood. They are not reduced to ashes. They undergo this kind of punishment for their misdeeds. In hells sinners suffer in consequence of the sinful deeds done by them while on earth. The noses, ears and lips of sinners are cut off with razors, and their tongues are pulled out with sharp pikes They are thrown into large caldrons and boiled. They are compelled to drink molten lead and copper when they are thirsty.¹ There is a terrible towering mountain called the Vaitālika where evildoers are long tortured Thus the sinners are tortured day and night. They cry at the top of their voices in a dreadful hell which contains various implements of torture.

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¹ Sūtrakṛtāṅga, I, 5 11 Asūryam nāma mahābhutāvam, amdhatamam duppataram mahamtam | Nuddham a heyam tiriyam disāsu, samālunum jacca gaṇikiyām |

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¹ Sūtrakṛtānga, I, 5 25

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Hells are round inside, square outside, on their floor razor-like arrows are thick-set They are filled with perpetual darkness. Their floor is slippery with a coat of marrow, fat, flesh, blood, and matter, and besmeared with grease. These hells are very rugged, difficult to pass and horrid. Those who are condemned to live in these hells do not sleep nor slumber, nor do they get any consolation, or comfort or recreation, but the denizens of hell suffer intolerable agonies.²

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² Ibid, II, 2 67 Noceva naraesu nerayā niḍḍāyam tivā palāyamtivā suimīā ratimīā dhīlimīā matimīā nuvalabhamte tenam tatra nujjamam vinulam pagādam laduyam lallasam campham dulham duggam tibbam duruhīyāsam nerayā reyanam paccanubbhavamānā vidaramti

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Palhippa tāsu payapamtuāle, aṭṭassare te lalunam rasamte |
Taehā iyā te tanu tamvaṭṭam, pajjamāṇāṭṭataram rasamti |

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