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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ECONOMIC, POLITICAL & RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS SECTION 3. PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION A. Philosophy. 475 The PC is mainly a narrative work but religious elements are
predominant in it. At several places monks have been introduced
giving discourses on Jaina philosophy and religion. We do not find
any such information about other philosophies. Lord Mahavira's
sermon to king 艢re峁噄ka (2.37-98) on the Vipulagiri, Muni Anantavirya's
(Ch. 14) and Muni Sakalabh奴sa峁嘺's (102.58-196) discourses to R膩vana
and R膩ma respectively are the particular occasions in the PCV when
the doctrines of Jaina philosophy are explained in brief. Then Lord
R峁bha's sermon (4.23) and the discourses of a monk to Taditke艣a of
La峁卥膩 (6.118), of Anantavirya to R膩va峁嘺 (Ch. 14), of another monk to
the exiled king Saud膩sa (22.80), of monk Dyuti to Bharata (32.57), of
another monk to king Vajrakarna of Da艣apura (33.29) and of Muni
Sarvagupta to R膩ma (Ch. 102) are the occasions when the Jaina ethics
have been dealt with. Besides that, we find that references to
religious terms of Jainism are spread over at several places.
Here we shall give a brief account of the doctrines of Jaina
philosophy and Jaina ethics which are well-established and well-known.
The points which differ from the established things will be given a
special treatment. Then we shall deal with the ascetic life, rituals and
popular worship as revealed in the PCV.
Six Substances :- The
Jaina Philosaphy:
substance (Dravya Davva峁� duviham
2.62) is of two kinds-Jiva and Aj墨va (J墨v膩j墨v膩) i. e. living or
conscious or soul and non-living or unconscious or non-soul. Aj墨va is
further said to be of five kinds e. g.
Dharma-the fulcrum of Motion,
Adharma-the fulcrum of Rest, 膧k膩艣a-the space, Kala-the Time and
Pudgal the Matter (Dhamm膩dhamm膩g膩sa峁� k膩lo j墨vo ya poggale峁嘺
sama峁� 102.99). Thus the substance is of six kinds (davva峁� chabbhe-
ya峁� 102.99). The distinction between the first four kinds of Aj墨va and
the fifth kind of Ajiva is well brought out in the TS (5.4) which
mentions that Pudgala possesses form while the rest of the non-living
substances as well as the Jiva are formless (5.3,28).
Jiva or Soul:鈥擳he fundamental characteristic of Jiva is said to
be Upayoga consisting of J帽膩na and Dar艣ana (J墨v膩峁嘺峁� taha
damsa峁嘺峁� 102.96) i.e. knowledge and awareness or intuition (deter-
minate and indeterminate knowledge鹿). J帽膩na and Dar艣ana are further
1, She OJP. 30.
