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Religious background of the Kuvalayamālā
245. 6 f.: An exposition of the Leśyā doctrine, typically illustrated by the lesyavrksa
how the same act can incur different quantity of sin according to the temper
amental state. 253.18 f.: Through the medium of a divine voice, a few religious discourses on the
following topics are presented: (i) One's benefit in the next world has to be ever remembered. (ii) Virati or detachment is necessary even in the midst of pleasures. (iii) The practice of Dharma leads to Punya which brings pleasures ; so Dharma is important. (iv) Dharma alone, and not the lures of Indriyas, can save one from the pangs in hell. (v) One thirst quenched leads to another ; and there is nothing like satisfaction in this Samsara. (vi) One should get rid of the infatuation for pleasures recollecting the manifold tortures, ailments, humiliations and sufferings of the past. (vii) The pleasures of sense-organs are fatal in their consequences ; so one should be circumspect with restraint
on mind, speech and body. 261. 8 f. ; A discourse on the causes which lead to life in hell. 269.23 f. : A doctrinal exposition of the fourfold Ārädhanā, namely, Jñana, Darśana,
Caraña and Virya. 271. I f.: A discourse on Sāmāyika. 272. 7 f. : An exposition of what may be called in general Pratikramaņa. 273.25 f. : Explanation of the two types of Death, namely, Pandita-and Bala-marana. 277. 7 f. : Here is an elaborate salutation co Arhat, Siddha, Ācārya, Upadhyāya and
Sarvasadhu, a good many details about whom are recorded. 279.26 f. : Details about a soul's ascent on the Ksapaka-sreņi.
All this shows that the author has snatched every opportunity to introduce Jaina dogmatical details to make his tale worthy of the name of Dharmakatha. The structure of the narrative would remain in-tact, in most of the cases, even if these contexts are skipped over. There are, besides, casual references to Jaina ideas here and there. A Jaina monk, who has pulled out his hair on the head, wears white garments and has a bunch of feathers ( piccha ), is distinguished from Tāpasa and Tridandin and considered to be honoured in view of his ascetic emblem. He blesses dharmalabha (185); and some details about his entry into the order and equipments are available (194.19). The Pancanamaskāra is a shelter and has great miraculous potency in adversity (137); and the karņa-japa ( uttering of the Panca-namaskāra in the ear) given even to an animal leads it to a better future birth (11.32 ). The way in which one takes to ascetiscism and becomes a Pratyeka-buddha is interesting ( 141. 1-5, 142. 17 f.) The idea of Sadharmika-Vatsalyatva ( 116. 23, 137, 20 ) clearly indicates that Jaina religion was not a theoretical philosophy, but a way of living tending to community life. A Caraņa-śramaņa is gifted with certain miraculous powers ; he has no gaccha
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