Essay name: Paumacariya (critical study)
Author:
K. R. Chandra
Affiliation: Research institute of Prakrit, Jainology and Ahimsa Vaishali
This is a critical study of the Paumacariya: the earliest Jain version of Rama's life story, written in Prakrit by Vimalasuri dating to the 4th century AD. In this text, Rama (referred to as Padma) is depicted with lotus-like eyes and a blooming face. The Paumacariya places emphasis on the human aspects of characters rooted in Jain values, contrasting with the divine portrayal in Valmiki鈥檚 version.
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6
A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMACARIYA峁�
3. The verse referring to the fourteen dream-objects (PCV, 21.13)
is identical with that occurring in the Nayadhammakah茫o:
骋补测补惫补蝉补丑补蝉墨丑补补产丑颈蝉别测补诲腻尘补蝉补蝉颈诲颈峁嘺测补谤补峁僯丑补测补峁僰耻尘产丑补峁�/
Paumasaras膩garavim膩峁嘺bhava峁嘺rayanuccayasihi峁� ca//鈥擭膩y膩, I, p.9.
4. The categorical reference to twenty factors necessary for
acquiring T墨rtha峁卥aragotrakarma (PCV, 2.82) is in conformity with the
description of the same in the N膩y膩dhammakah茫o (8.69).
5. Cakravartins are stated to have 64000 wives (PCV, 4.58;5.168)
The Digambara tradition mentions 96000 wives.
6. Acala and Padma are referred to as first and eighth Baladeva
and R膩ma as ninth (PCV, 5.154). According to the Digambara
tradition, Acala, R膩ma and Padma are second, eighth and ninth
Baladevas respectively (TP, 4.517). But, the Vasudevahin岣嵞� names
D膩艣arathi R膩ma as R膩ma and not as Padma.
7. The verses (PCV, 5.154 & 155) referring to the names of nine
Baladevas and nine Vasudevas bear similarity with those of the
Samav膩y膩nga (Su. 159 with Abhayadeva's commentary).
8. A number of verses from PCV are quoted by Pt. Parmanand
Shastry suggesting their similarity with those of the Digambara
Tattv膩rthas奴tra But, in our opinion some of them bear similarity
with those of the Svet膩mbara works.鹿 Compare PCV, 102.101 with
Svet膩mbara TS, 3.7; PCV, 102.67 with the Bhasya on the TS, 3.2, PCV,
14.75 with Uttaradhyayana, 30.30 or Samava, (Su. 6) and PCV, 102.140
with Uttara, 36.207.
9. Vi峁ａ箛usri, the name of the mother of Tirthankara 艢rey膩峁兣沘
(PCV, 20.37) is found also in the Samava, (Su. 153) and in Ava 鈩� 385,
whereas the TP (4.536) mentions Ve峁噓dev墨. Malli, the sacred tree
associated wiih Puspadanta (PCV, 20. 35) is mentioned in the Samav膩
(Su. 157) but TP (4.916) refers to the Ak峁 tree.
10. There is a reference to only three ramparts of the Samosara峁嘺
of a T墨rthankara (PCV, 2.50). The Digambara tradition mentions
four ramparts, the fourth being that of the mud (TP, 4.733).
[II] There is no ground to maintain that the following elements
show any bias for the Digambara or the Svet膩mbara tradition.
1. In the PCV the story of R膩ma (Padma) is introduced as
narrated by Indrabh奴ti Gautama to king 艢re峁噄ka (3.14). It is in
agreement with the Digambara tradition because, according to the
1. Anekanta, Varsa 5, kirana 10-11, Paumacariya k膩 Anta岣arik峁峁嘺.'
