Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

by Helen M. Johnson | 1931 | 742,503 words

This page describes Sagara experiences disgust with existence which is the seventh part of chapter VI of the English translation of the Ajitanatha-caritra, contained within the “Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra”: a massive Jain narrative relgious text composed by Hemacandra in the 12th century. Ajitanatha in jainism is the second Tirthankara (Jina) and one of the 63 illustrious beings or worthy persons.

Part 7: Sagara experiences disgust with existence

Then disgust with existence took the place of so great a sorrow in the Cakrin, like breath the place of breath.[1] Sagara gave utterance to a speech very strong in truth:

“O discerning ones, this was very well done by you. People live and die according to their respective karmas—child, youth, and old man. Certainly age is no standard (for length of life). Associations of relatives, etc. are like dreams. Lakṣmī is naturally as restless as the flap of an elephant’s ear. Even the Śrī of youth resembles the stream of a mountain-river. Life is like a drop of water on kuśa-grass. No sooner does youth disappear like water penetrating desert ground than old age comes, ending life, like an ogre. No sooner does a change in the senses, like a derangement of the humors, take place than Śrī becomes disgusted like a courtesan who has (already) received money. After deceiving ourselves so long about all these things, we will strive for our welfare to be gained by means of mendicancy. He buys a jewel with a piece of glass, a peacock with a raven, a necklace with a wreath of lotus-fiber, rice-pudding with bad food, milk with butter-milk, a horse with an ass, whoever would gain emancipation with this worthless body here.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

It seems to me there should be two interpretations of mahāprāṇa, but I can not quite see them. Muni Jayantavijayaji takes mahāprāṇa to be śvāsocchvāsa and thinks one interpretation serves in both cases.

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