The Doctrine of the Jainas, Described after the Old Sources c7.s2.42

c7.s2.42

10. Pupphiyāo. 10 ajjhayaṇa. The title derives from story 3. 1. The god Canda goes to pay homage to Mahāvīra (as does Sūriyābha, comp. Rāyap.) who when being asked by Goyama gives an account of his pre-existence as a certain Angai of Sāvatthi. He is converted by Pāsa and dies from fasting, is reborn as a god and will find salvation in the near future. 2 and 5-10 are parallels, but in the latter group the converters are the therā bhagavanto. As to their frame, 3 and 4 also are parallels, but the corresponding pre-existences are dealt with in greater detail. 3. The Brahman Somila of Vāṇārasī consults Pāsa (reference to Somila’s questions directed to Mahāvīra Viy. 758a) but does not become converted. He plants trees and decorates the groves with flowers (hence the title of the whole), honours Brahman ascetics and practises asceticism himself. He is finally convinced by a god that the Brahman method is wrong since, after all, he has consulted Pāsa. Somila thereupon allows himself to be converted. 4. Subhaddā, a sterile housewife, on consulting some nuns becomes a lay woman and then a nun herself. As such a one she makes it her hobby to nurse children and to adorn them for their festivities. Though reprimanded for doing so she does not listen and returns home, though still remaining a nun. In her present existence she is a goddess Bahuputtiyā, and in her next life she will be¹ Somā, the daughter of a Brahman. In the course of 16 years Somā will give birth to 32 children, then she will become a lay woman and a nun; after that she will be reborn to live among gods, and finally she will attain salvation.