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JAIN: JAMĀLI
69
thus, "I do not abide like a 'Chadmastha' (a person possessing imperfect knowledge i.e. who has not gained omniscience) as many of your 'Chadmastha' houseless disciples do. I do tourings like an 'Arhat' or 'Jina' or 'Kevalin' who has attained infinite knowledge and infinite intuition". It shows that Jamāli, in emulation of other Kevalins, had an ambition to be venerated as Kevalin. But for lack of ability and profound scholarship, his ambition could not be fulfilled. On his bold assertion, Gautama said to him, "If you regard yourself as Kevalin, please answer two questions: (i) Is the world eternal or non-eternal ? (ii) Is the soul eternal or non-eternal ?" Jamāli was perplexed and could not reply. Mahāvira said to him, "O Jamāli, many of my monk-disciples are in a state of 'Chadmastha'. Even then, like me, they are capable of answering these questions. But they do not speak in the terms you have just spoken i.e. I am 'Jina' or 'Kevalin'." Mahāvira, then, explained to Jamāli the nature of the world and the soul in answer to these questions. Thus, it was known that many other monks in the Holy Order were more advanced in their studies and knowledge than Jamāli.
Jamāli listened to Mahāvīra but could not repose faith in him. He left again, leading the life of an ascetic for a number of years. He misled himself and others by expounding a false doctrine under the influence of wrong belief. But he failed totally to gather followers and all his fellow-monks deserted him. Observing a fortnight's 'fast unto death ('saṁlekhana'), he emaciated his body and died without expiating his sins. Then, he was born in Lāntaka heaven as a 'low inferior god' (Kilbişika
god)?
After his death, Gautama asked Lord Mahavira some questions regarding Jamāli and the Kilbişika gods. One of the questions was: 'Where would Jamäli be born after completing his duration of life as a god in the heaven ?' The Lord said, 'O Gautama, having wandered for four or five cycles of births and deaths in sub-human, human, heavenly and hellish lives, he would become 'Emancipated' and thus end all misery.'
The commentators on the Bhagavati raise an interesting question and 1. "Pria e til BTTTTTT: " paten4 4.4. Haribhadra says in his commentary on
this Bhāşya : "39FTET: TRSITE: ". 2. अथ श्रीवीरेण सर्वशत्वादमुं तद्व्यतिकरं जानतापि किमित्यसौ प्रव्रजित:१ उच्यते अवश्यंभाविभावानां
महानुभावैरपि प्रायोलंघयितुमशक्यत्वाद् इत्थमेव वा गुणविशेषदर्शनात् भगवतोऽईन्तो न निष्प्रयोजनं क्रियासु as a la Bhagavati-sūtra-vrtti by Dānasekhara Sūri, p. 164 A.
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