Bhagavati-sutra (Viyaha-pannatti)
by K. C. Lalwani | 1973 | 185,989 words
The English translation of the Bhagavati-sutra which is the fifth Jaina Agama (canonical literature). It is a large encyclopedic work in the form of a dialogue where Mahavira replies to various question. The present form of the Sutra dates to the fifth century A.D. Abhayadeva Suri wrote a vritti (commentary) on the Bhagavati in A.D. 1071. In his J...
Part 1 - On self-created misery
63. People went out. Congregation assembled in the city of Rājagṛha...till (Gautama) made the following submission:
Q. 64. Bhante! Does the living being experience the fruits of self-created47 misery48?
A. 64. Some of these he experiences and others he does not.
Q. 65. Bhante! You say, ‘Some of these he experiences and others he does not’. Why so?
A. 65. He experiences those, that have come up, but does not experience those that are still dormant. So it is said that ‘some of these he experiences and others he does not’. And in this manner, all the 24 categories...till the Vaimānikas49.
Q. 66. Bhante! Do the living beings experience the fruits of self-created misery50?
A. 66. Gautama! Some of these they experience and others they do not.
Q. 67. Bhante! Why so?
A. 67. Gautama! They experience those that have come up but they do not experience those that are still dormant. Hence so, and this (for all the 24)... till the Vaimānikas.
Q. 68. Bhante! Does the living being experience self-created life-span51?
A. 68. Gautama! He experiences in some cases but does not experience in others. As in case of misery, so in case of life-span, in two numbers, singular (i.e., living being) as well as plural (i.e., living beings), and that (for all the 24)...till the Vaimānikas.
Q. 69. Bhante! Do all infernal beings have the same intake, same physical dimensions, same respirations?
A. 69. Gautama! This is not necessarily so.
Q. 70. Bhante! For what reason do you say, ‘infernal beings have not the same intake, same physical dimensions, same respirations’?
A. 70. Gautama! Infernal beings are stated to be of two types. They are: with big bodies and with small bodies52. Those who are with a big body take many matters, inhale many matters and exhale many matters; they have frequent intake, frequent transformation, frequent inhale and exhale. Those who have a small body intake few matters, transform few matters, inhale and exhale few matters; they have less frequent intake, less frequent transformation, less frequent respirations. Hence so, Gautama. Hence it is said, ‘all infernal beings have not same intake, same transformations, same respirations’53.
Notes (based on commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri):
47. The soul suffers from the effect of self-created karma, never from the karma of others. As has been said,
svayaṃkṛtaṃ karma yadātmanā purā
phalaṃ tadīyaṃ labhate śubhāśubhaṃ
pareṇa dattaṃ yadi labhyate sphutaṃ
svayaṃkṛtaṃ karma nirarthakaṃ tadā[Of karma created by self in the past,
effects good and bad are enjoyed by the self.
If the soul starts suffering for others’ deeds,
then self-created action loses significance.]
48. The word ‘dukkha’ in the text stands for karma, which covers both pleasure and pain. Worldly pleasure is not only transcient, but it ends invariably in pain, which justifies the use of the word.
49. Karma-effect must be borne; there is no escape from it. But all karma do not fructify at a time. Only such of them as have come up give effect, not those which are yet to come up.
50. Apparently a repetition of Q. 64 in plural form, for all living beings, this is not redundant, because in a number of cases, living beings in diverse species evince speciality. Hence the repetition clarifies the point.
51. Karma determining life-span is separately considered, because life-span widely varies not only from one existence to another, but also from one living being to another in the same existence. Only one life-span is to be experienced in one existence, never more than one.
Cf.
Yasmādekatrabhavagrahaṇe sakṛdevā’antarmuhūrtamātra-kale evāyuṣo-bandhaḥ.
[In one existence, one living being binds life-span only once.]
52. Difference in size is relative. Something is big relative to another which is small, and vice versa.
53. Q. 69 starts with ‘same intake’ followed by ‘same physical dimension’. But in the answer, physical dimension is placed earlier, because intake is always and invariably relative to physical dimension. Once the body size is stated, the quantum of intake becomes easier to explain. It follows that not all living beings in the same species have same intake, same physical dimension or same respiration.