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 1 - Followers, belongings
...in the city of Rājagṛha, till raised the following question:
Q. 196. Bhante! The ajīvikas [ājīvikas] (followers of Gośālaka, a former disciple of Mahāvīra who later separated) asked the senior monks as follows: Suppose a śrāvaka (follower of the Jina path) is seated in a monks’ lodge performing sāmāyika-and at that time his belongings are removed by somebody. Now, after completing his samayika, if the said śrāvaka searches for his stolen things, dees he search for his own belongings, or someone else’s belongings?
A. 196. Gautama! In doing so, he searches for his own. belongings, but not for someone else’s.
Q. 197. Bhante! Suppose a śrāvaka has accepted the vow of conduct, restraint, renunciation, atonement and fast. For such one, do the belongings so stolen become non-belongings for him?
A. 197 Yes, they do.
Q. 198. Bhante! If that be so, then, how do you maintain that while searching for these, he searches for his own belongings and not for someone else’s belongings?
A. 198. Gautama! A śrāvaka who is seated in a sāmāyika feels that ‘silver is not mine, gold is not mine, bronze is not mine, cloth is not mine, wealth, grains, pearls, gems, conches, diamonds, jewels, are not mine.’ But then he has not renounced his ‘mineness’, for which, oh Gautama! I maintain that he searches for his own belongings, and not for someone else’s belongings.
Q. 199. Bhante! Suppose a śrāvaka is seated in sāmāyika in the monks’ lodge when, perchance, a rogue enjoys the company of his wife; then, does he enjoy the company of the śrāvaka’s wife or of the śrāvakas’ non-wife?
A. 199. Gautama! Surely he enjoys the company of the śrāvaka’s wife, not of his non-wife.
Q. 200. Bhante! Suppose the śrāvaka is under the vow of conduct, till fast, then (in the above case), does the wife become non-wife?
A. 200. Yes, Gautama, she does.
Q. 201. Bhante! If that be so, how do you maintain that the rogue enjoys the company of the śrāvaka’s wife, not of his non-wife?
A. 201. Gautama! A śrāvaka who is under the vow of conduct, till fast has a feeling in his mind that ‘my mother is not mine, my father is not mine, my brother is not mine, my sister is not mine, my wife is not mine, my son is not mine’, but his link of affection with them is not broken. Hence I maintain (hat the rogue enjoys the company of the śrāvaka’s wife, not of his non-wife.
Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):
(There is no commentary available for this section).