Jaina Law Bhadrabahu Samhita

SR No.: 011057
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: J L Jaini
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown
Total Pages: 146
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 5 MB

Page 125

APPENDIS B.
111
shlokas, flourished about 310 B.C., at least before 365 B. C., (he has the last of the Srutikevalins). The tradition of the Jaina Lord, as giren in the Bhadrabahu Samhita, must therefore be almost as old as Lord Maharira himself, and therefore not only of very hoary antiquity, but of unparalleled authority also.
The author of the book, Bhadrababu Swami, is a figure that tovers high and heroic in the diin darkness of Jaina listory. Le flourished about 365 B. C. (162 years after Lord Maharira's Nirrana). Chandragupta dreamt 16 dreams, the last one being a dreadful serpent with 12 hoods. On being referred to his spiritual Guru, Blindrabahu, it was interpreted into a dire famine of 12 years. These famines Trere not quito unknotn to the neighbourhood of Patalipatra (modern Patpa) the capital of the great Vauryan Empiro.f Sometime after this, Bhadrababu tent to beg alms in tho city; but a child was crying so lustily that he did not get a hearing nfter 12 calls. Reading in this the suro advent of the famine, and fearing that it would be impossible for Jaina ascetics to live in accordance tith the scriptures, Bhadrabahu slarted for the South of Indin, rith a large number of his ascetic-disciples. Chandragupta also, being repelled br the sinful torld, made his kingdom over to his son, Singhasena, . alias Bindusara, becamo & Jaina ascetic under the name of Prabhachandra, and accompanied Bhadrababu. Neor a beautiful bill, Kata-Vapra, in Northern Carnatic, Bhadrabalu felt that his end vas ncar. Therefore he sent his disciples on to further south to the countries, Chola and Pandya, and himself stayed on there with Chandragupta Juni, who served the Guru in a most dovoted fashion, till tho end camo and the last
* Dr. Tlocrnle suggests 810 B. C. as the dato of this famine. Seo Mrs. Sinclair Stoconson's Icart of Jainism'p. 701 of 1915.
† Buddhist India, by T. W. Rhys Davids, 1908, (London, Fisher Unwin, pp. 40-60.