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 499 The Pali canon refers to the performing of a great sacrifice by a
Brahmin. In it hundreds of bulls, calves, goats and other animals
were brought for slaughtering. Lord Buddha is said to have stopped
that sacrifice鹿. Then the Prasastap膩da's Bh膩峁a prescribes all sorts of
Yaj帽as in connection with the duties of a householder虏. K膩lid膩sa refers
to the immolation of animals in the sacrifices鲁.
Even 艢ankara in his Bh膩峁a on the Ved膩nta S奴tras (3.1.25) speaks
of Vedic rites being performed by cultured people.
4 On the evidence of the ancient inscriptions Dr. Altekar remarks
that the Vedic sacrifices were most popular during the third and fourth
centuries A. D鲁. They were performed by the rulers such as feudatory
lords, kings and emperors and the most popular one was the horse-
sacrifice. The Vedic sacrifices were on descendancy later on but they
were sporadically performed till quite recent times." V. M. Apte
remarks that the growing influence of Bhakti cult and the association of
cow with K峁涐梗峁嘺 as well as the attack of Buddhists and the Jainas had
given great set back to the slaughtering of animals and certainly the
cow was reverred and its killing was prohibited.
Jaina conecption of Sacrifice:-The sacrifice which involved death
of a large number of animals is severely criticised in the Paumacariya峁�.
It is said that the performers are greedy of meat, marrow and blood of
the animals and they descend to hells and suffer innumerable miseries in
the cycle of transmigration (11.80-81). It further mentions that a real
sacrifice (Janna) according to the 膧r峁veda, consisted of the physical
body as the altar, mind as the fire, knowledge as the ghee, and the dirt
of Karma as samidh膩 (sacrificial fuel). They all should be burnt in the
fire of mental control. The passions such as anger, pride, deceit, greed
or attachment and aversion were the real animals to be sacrificed along
with the senses. Truth, forgiveness, non-injury constituted the sacrifi-
cial fee. Right faith, right conduct, self control and chastity were the
gods to be propitiated. This is the true sacrifice which has been
preached by the Jinas. It is performed by mental concentration or
meditation and thus it brings about emancipation (11.75-79).
1. Digha Nik膩ya, Su. 5.
2. Vide Handiqui. p. 377.
3. IK, p. 324,
4. Handiqui, p. 377.
5. VGA, p. 339.
6, Handiqui, p. 378.
7. SRL. Gr, p. 100, 116. See Gita Rahasya, 305.
