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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A CRITICAL STUDY OF PAUMA臑ARIYA峁�
good centre of learning medical science or spells (48.83-85). Vipra
Rama峁嘺 of R膩jag峁沨a is mentioned to have gone to some other place
for his studies and he returned home after a long time (82. 44-46),
Other agencies -No less part was played by the wandering
mendicants who regularly gave sermons to the public on religion.
and indoctrinated the principles of morality and righteousness. They
were the mobile teachers and roaming libraries. There were occasions
when religious debates were held and on such occasions people got good
opportunities to learn many things about religion, philosophy and ethics
(11.25; 105.26).
Besides that the society was based on J膩ti or Var峁嘺 i. e. the profe-
ssional classes hence the respective families would have been good schools
of training in different learnings, professions and crafts.
B. Subjects of study and Literature.
The general references in connection with the education of children
indicate that the education was manifold. Instructions were imparted
in the 艣膩stras, Vij帽膩nas, Kal膩s and the Silpas. In support of the above
the following general references can be quoted :-
Satth膩峁噄 sikkhaveu峁� 11.65, savvasatthavis膩rao 25.3, n膩峁嚹� vih膩i
satth盲i峁� 97.22, bahusattha pandio 74.29; bahuvihavinn膩峁嘺laddham-
happ盲 25.25, vinn膩峁嘺sipparahiya 3.112; sikkhanti kal膩gama峁� sayala峁�.
12.11, savvakal膩gama kusal膩 97.25, kal膩su kusal膩 25.26, savva峁� kal膩ga-
magu峁嘺峁� sikkhai 77.84, savva kal膩su s膩hiyavijjo 18.56; saya峁� ca sipp膩峁嘺
uvai峁弓ha峁� 3.114. The reference to Sastra is not necessarily to the sacred
scriptures. It means also treatises on various secular subjects. Thus
the PCV mentions 'nayasattha (8-5)=ny膩ya艣膩stra. Further a D奴ta=
envoy is stated to have learned various Sastras (39.39). Here Sastras
denote treatises on polity. Sastras can be taken as works relating to
arts and sciences also. The military science or archery is also called
Isattha (25.24) or Isatth膩gama (77.83)-Isusastra.
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The following were the subjects which were studied in those
days: Script, Grammar, Prosody (livisattham, saddalakkhanam, cha-
nda峁� 24. 6), Jina艣膩sana艣ruti (Ji峁嘺varas膩sa峁嘺mmisuipu峁囜箛膩 1. 19),
Vedas (4. 80), Ved膩ngas, Upangas (saugovange vee 82. 45), Aranyakas
(11.10), R膩m膩ya峁嘺 (2. 116), Bh膩rata i. e. the great epic (105. 16),
treatises on polity (nayasattha 8. 5) and Dhanurveda (12. 125; 25 18).
The Jina艣ruti denotes the Jaina canonical literature which consists
of 45 Agamas i. e. 12 Angas, 12 Upangas etc. There is a specific
reference to the Purvas and Angas which were studied by the monks
