Agama And Tripitaka Comparative Study

SR No.: 022804
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagaraj Muni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Printers and Publishers
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 804
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 518

478
About his mother
The names of Kunika's mother have been differently given in the two traditions. According to the Jātakas, Kosala Devi was the daughter of Maha-Kosala, the king of Kosala, and she was the sister of Prasenajit who succeeded on the throne(107). On the occasion of this marriage, the village of Kasi was given to Bimbisara as a dowry. After the murder of Bimbisara, so goes the Buddhist account, Prasenajit took that village back. There followed a war in which Prasenjait was defeated at first, but was successful later. As Ajātas atru happened to be his own nephew (sister's son), he was spared his life, a peace treaty was entered into and Prasenajit's daughter, Vajira, was married with him (108). The same village, Kasi, was given to him as dowry. The Samyutta Nikaya account has simultaneously called him as the 'nephew of Prasenajit' and as 'Vaide hi putta (109). There is, however, no consistency between the two epithets. The meaning of the word 'Vaidehi' is, as given by Buddhaghosa, not 'princess of Videha', but 'Pandita (110). The fact is that Queen Celana was called "Vaidehi" in the Jaina tradition because she was the daughter of Cetaka, the head of the Vaisali confederacy. Kosala Devi who has been described as a sister of Prasenajit might perhaps be one of the step-mothers of Ajatasatru. According to the Tibetan tradition (111) and also the Amitayurdhy - ana Sutta(112), the name of Ajatasatru's mother was "Vaidehī vāsavi", and the cause of her being called Vaidehi" has been stated to be that she was a princes from Videha (113). The word "Videha" has been used in a similar sense in many other places. Even Bhagavan Mahavira has been called Videha Videhadinne Vide hajacce (114). As he was born in Videha, he has been called "Vaideha!; as his mother happened to be a princess from Videha, he has been called "Videha dinne"; and as he was the best among all the Vide hans, he has been called "Videhajacce" (115).
In his dramatic work, Svapnavāsadattam, the great poet, Bhāsa has called Udayana as Vide haputra (116), because his mother happened to be a princess from Videha. According to the Jaina tradition, Queen Celana and Mrgavati who was the mother of Udayana, were sisters. Both were the daughters of Cetaka, the chief of the Vaisali confederacy(117). Trisala who was Mahavira's mother was Cetaka's sister(118). So the adjectives like Videhadinna