Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti)
by K. C. Lalwani | 1973 | 185,989 words
The English translation of the Bhagavati-sutra which is the fifth Jaina Agama (canonical literature). It is a large encyclopedic work in the form of a dialogue where Mahavira replies to various question. The present form of the Sutra dates to the fifth century A.D. Abhayadeva Suri wrote a vritti (commentary) on the Bhagavati in A.D. 1071. In his J...
Part 9 - Knowledge of the omniscient
Q. 69. Bhante! Does the omniscient know and ṣee final karma and final exhaustion?
A. 69. Yes, Gautama, he knows and sees. Like the discussion on the termination of karma bondage, a complete discussion on final karma is to be given.
Q. 70. Bhante! Does the omniscient hold a developed mind and a developed expression?
A. 70. Yes, he does.
Q. 71. Bhante! Do the Vaimānikas know and see that the omniscient holds a developed mind and a developed expression?
A. 71. Gautama! Some of them know and see, but some others do not know and see.
Q. 72. How is it so,...till some others do not know and see?
A. 72. Gautama! The Vaimānikas are of two types, which are, those who are deceitful and born with a wrong outlook, and those who are deceit-free and born with a right outlook. Of these, the deceitful with a wrong outlook neither know nor see, but the deceit-free with a right outlook know and see.
[—Why do you say that those who are deceit-free and with aright outlook,...till see?
—Gautama! The deceit-free with a right outlook are of two types, which are, those born without a time gap and those born with a time gap. Of these, those born without a time gap do not know, but those born with a time gap know.
—Bhante! Why do you say that those born with a time gap,...till know?
—Gautama! Those born with a time gap are of two types, which are, those who are full and those who are not full; and of these, those who are full know and those who are not full do not know. ]
Like this, (the difference between) those who are born without a time gap and those who are born with a time gap, those who are full and those who are not full, those who can make use of knowledge and those who cannot make use of knowledge. Of these, those who can make use of knowledge know and see. It is for this so.
Q. 73. Bhante! Are the gods born in the anuttara vimānas (beyond which there are no more vimānas) capable to communicate and discuss with the omniscient who are here (on this earth).
A. 73. Yes, they are.
Q. 74. Bhante! What are the things that the gods born in the anuttara vimānas,...till discuss (with the omniscient who are here)?
A. 74. Gautama! Seated in their own celestial abodes, when the gods born in the anuttara vimānas have some import, reason, query, cause o[?] [or/of?] grammar to ask, the omniscient from here communicates with them about that import,...till grammar. It is for this so.
Q. 75. Bhante! The omniscient gives replies about the import,...till grammar. Do the gods in the anuttara vimānas, remaining in their own celestial abodes, know and see the import, etc.?
A. 75. Yes, they know and see.
Q. 76. How is it so,...till see?
A. 76. Gautama! These gods are in possession of an infinite capacity of the mind called maṇaḥ-dravya-vargaṇā lavdhi18. They have it and it is at their disposal, because of which they know and see from their celestial abodes the import, etc., given by the omniscient from here.
Q. 77. Bhante! Are the gods in the anuttara vimānas with active attachment, with exhausted attachment or with dim attachment?
A. 77. Gautama? Not with active attachment, nor with dim attachment, but with exhausted attachment.
Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):
18. Cf.
saṃkhejja-maṇodavve bhāgo loga-paliyassa boddhavvo
[Avadhi knowledge which knows a limited portion of the sphere and a limited portion of time becomes the knower of mano-dravya.