Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

SR No.: 011077
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company
Publication Year: 1947
Total Pages: 429
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

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LIFE IN ANCIENT INDIA
sankhades were held every year at the lake Isitalaga for eight days. These feasts were also celebrated in Bharuyakaccha, Pabhasa, Abbuya, at the eastern bank of the river Sarassaï near Anandapura, Ujjenta, Nayasanda and Siddhasila. In these sankhades the monks of other sects such as Sakya, Bhauta and Bhagavatas assembled; there were regular discussions between them. There in the gardens the drunken voluptuaries dressed in fantastic garments, gesticulated with their hands and sang erotic songs, and there the men and women, drunk and decked in finelles, played. The Jain monks were allowed to attend these feasts only 11 held at holy places, because only at holy places they could preserve their right faith (samyaktva), otherwise there was possibility of their being insulted, poisoned or even killed at the hands of heretics 173
Then various household ceremonies are mentioned Avaha was held before wedding when betel etc. were served: vuaha was the wedding ceremony; 174 ahena was held at the time of the bride entering the bidegroom's house; pahena was celebrated when she returned to her father's house. Then hingola was held in honour of the diseased person or anaha, in pindanigara, food was offered to fathers. Then sammela or gotthi was a social gathering in which the relatives and friends assembled 1 got this are described as having been granted licences by the king, as given to much dissipation and as possessing considerable funds.170 Then taverns (panagara) and gambling houses juyakhalaya) are mentioned 11
The
Lastly we come to combat or wrestling which was a favourite pastime of rich people. The kings took keen interest in it, and they appointed then own wrestlers. We are told that king Sihagırı of Soparaya offered money to wrestlers who came out victorious The wrestler Attana of Ujjay ni took part in the wrestling tournament (juddhamaha every year and wor thi flag of honour. He went as far as Kosambi and defeated the royal westler and was honoured by the state 178 There were wrestlers ho could combat with one thousand persons at a time (sahassamalle) 1 cock and peacock fights were other popular pastimes Ilundreds and thousands were staked and a luge number of people assembled to watch such fights.183 Reference has been made to cock fight that was held in Campa The peacock brought hundreds and Combats of buffaloes, bulls, horses and eleph int,
Then
a
thousands to its owner are referred to 181
13 Bih su 1 47 aud the Bhasya (1 3139-3206) also Aca II, 1 2.3 236 fl, Dne 36f 14 Ja 3, p 250a, ci husa Jataka (No 531 translation), p 145 In, 1 has calle J
n'
17
marriage as opposite to taha, a daughter's marriage in the 9th edes of P V cub p 502 Ica II 245 According to the Jain radi in Ling Blin fist promulgated this feast, Aca cu II, p 172
Vaya ib, p 174 ct the laliva gotthi of Ray giha (Inta 6, p 32) Vājā 2 p k
1
177
I)
.
178 Uttara 4, p 7511
Ia Bha 1, p 92af A wrestling match is described in the Ghata Jit (EX pp 81f in which the wrestlers Canura and Mutthika took pait, all
11 d
Poona, 1936 XXVIII p 218 ff for a beautilul descr ption of restling, ko lä
JV, 15
10
Uttara Ti 13, p. 151
191 II, 11 p 332, cf Digh. I, p b, abo roja ya mph (17, r 255)
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