Arhat Na 34 Atishayo Vishe

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Gujarati Jain text, focusing on the discussion of the 34 Atishayas (special attributes) of an Arhat:

The article, "Arhat na 34 Atishayo Vishe" (Regarding the 34 Special Attributes of an Arhat) by Muni Trailokyamandanvijay, published in the December 2011 issue of Anusandhan, delves into the nature and historical evolution of these attributes within Jainism.

Origin and Verification:

The author was given a manuscript detailing 34 atishayas to copy. Upon comparison with the Samavaysranga Sutra, a foundational Jain scripture, and its commentary by Abhaydev Suri, it was discovered that the manuscript was not an independent creation but a transcription with some inaccuracies. The original Samavaysranga Sutra and its commentary were the basis for the accepted list of atishayas.

Categorization of the 34 Atishayas (as per the discussed manuscript):

The article presents the 34 atishayas broadly categorized as follows:

• 4 Innate Attributes (Born with the Arhat):

  1. Healthy and pure body with wonderful form.
  2. Breath is fragrant like a lotus.
  3. Blood and flesh are white like cow's milk and odorless.
  4. Food and waste are invisible to the naked eye.

• 11 Attributes Arising from the Destruction of Karma: 5. In the Samavasarana (divine assembly), millions of gods, humans, and animals can reside in an area of one yojana (a unit of distance). 6. The sermon is delivered in Ardhamagadhi language, understood by gods, humans, and animals in their respective languages, and audible up to one yojana. 7. A halo of light appears behind the head. 8. No diseases occur. (This and the following 7 are understood to be effective up to 125 yojana). 9. No animosity arises. 10. No disturbances occur. 11. No epidemics occur. 12. No excessive rain occurs. 13. No drought occurs. 14. No famine occurs. 15. No fear from one's own or others' country or king.

• 19 Attributes Created by Deities: 16. A Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Dharma) moves in the sky. 17. Chowries (fly-whisks) are waved in the sky. 18. A bright crystal throne with a footstool is in the sky. 19. Three umbrellas are in the sky. 20. A jewel-studded flag is in the sky. 21. Feet touch only golden lotuses. 22. The Samavasarana has three ramparts of gold, silver, and jewels. 23. Three replicas of the Arhat are created in the Samavasarana, making the Arhat appear four-faced. 24. An Ashoka tree appears. 25. Thorns turn inwards. 26. Trees bow down. 27. The sound of drums is heard. 28. The wind is pleasant. 29. Birds circle in circumambulation. 30. Fragrant water rains down. 31. Flowers of five colors rain down. 32. Hair, beard, mustache, and nails do not grow. 33. At least 10 million deities remain in the Lord's service. 34. The six seasons are favorable to the senses.

Comparison with the Samavaysranga Sutra:

The article then compares the current list of 34 atishayas with those enumerated in the Samavaysranga Sutra.

• Samavaysranga's Enumeration:

  • Starts with 5 atishayas related to the Arhat's body (corresponding to current #32 and #1-4).
  • Followed by 15 atishayas describing their glory.

• Specific Comparisons Mentioned:

  • Sky-related phenomena: The Samavaysranga mentions a bright chakra (#16), three umbrellas (#19), two white chowries (#17), a crystal throne (#18), and an Indradhvaja (flag) (#20) in the sky.
  • Ashoka Tree: The Samavaysranga describes the Ashoka tree being created by Yakshas (deities) (#24).
  • Halo: The Samavaysranga mentions a halo behind the head illuminating all directions (#7).
  • Ground: The Samavaysranga mentions the ground becoming level and beautiful (X - not in the current list).
  • Thorns: Thorns turning inwards (#25).
  • Seasons: Seasons becoming favorable (#34).
  • Wind: Pleasant wind clearing the area up to one yojana (#28).
  • Rain: Rain of fine droplets cleansing the area (#18, corresponding to #30 - fragrant water rain).
  • Flowers: Shower of flowers of five colors (#31).
  • Absence of unpleasant qualities: Absence of unpleasant sounds, touch, taste, form, and smell (X).
  • Presence of pleasant qualities: Presence of pleasant sounds, touch, taste, form, and smell (X).

• Atishayas related to the influence on others: The Samavaysranga lists 14 such atishayas:

  • The Arhat's voice is delightful and travels a yojana.
  • The sermon is in Ardhamagadhi, understood by all creatures as their own beneficial language (#6).
  • Even formerly hostile deities (demons, Nagakumars, Suparnakumars, Yakshas, etc.) listen to the sermon with peaceful minds (#9).
  • Other sectarians also bow to the Lord (X).
  • Other sectarians cannot refute the Lord (X).
  • No disturbances occur (#10).
  • No epidemics occur (#11).
  • No interference from one's own or other kingdoms' rulers (#15).
  • No excessive rain (#12).
  • No drought (#13).
  • No famine (#14).
  • Pre-existing ailments are quickly pacified (#8).

Evolution of the Atishayas:

The article highlights that 8 of the currently listed 34 atishayas were not originally part of the list in the ancient texts (at least up to the compilation of the Samavaysranga Sutra in Vikram Samvat 980). These include numbers 5, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 29, and 33. It's difficult to pinpoint when these were added, but it's inferred that after the 11th century Vikram, the practice of creating new, interesting atishayas became prevalent. The commentary by Abhaydev Suri regarding the 19th and 20th atishayas also suggests ongoing creation of new attributes, indicating a process of conceptualizing Arhat's glories fueled by devotion.

The Samavaysranga Sutra itself did not have explicit categorizations for these atishayas. However, the commentator Abhaydev Suri categorized some as bhavapratyayika (born from the state of being), 21-34 and the halo as karmakshayajanya (resulting from the destruction of karma), and the remaining 15 as devakrita (created by deities). Later, the number of devakrita atishayas increased to 19, leading to some karmakshayajanya atishayas being merged or omitted.

Historical Context and Shifting Narratives:

The author believes that during the composition of the Agamas, the description of Arhats was closer to reality. They were recognized as distinct from other spiritual leaders, and their association with deities was acknowledged, but within certain limits. However, similar to other traditions like Buddhism, Jainism also began to incorporate miraculous and awe-inspiring descriptions of Arhats in accordance with the prevailing times and societal inclinations. This was likely done to attract and engage people with stories of wonders. The 34 atishayas were established for this purpose, and it was even claimed that scriptures like the Samavaysranga contained them.

Some descriptions in the Samavaysranga were altered significantly. For example, the meaning of 'Akashagam' (sky-going) in descriptions of the Indradhvaja or throne changed from 'present in the sky' to 'hanging in the sky.' The limit for the cessation of epidemics, famine, etc., was extended from 25 yojana to 125 yojana. An atishaya stating "all animosity is forgotten and heard together" was changed to "no animosity exists within 125 yojana of the Arhat's location," which is inconsistent with some events in Lord Mahavir's life.

Comparison with Digambara Tradition:

Finally, the article briefly compares the Shvetambara tradition's 34 atishayas with the 34 atishayas accepted in the Digambara tradition, as outlined in the Tiloypannatti.

• Digambara Atishayas (based on Tiloypannatti):
  • 10 Innate: Absence of sweat, pure body, white blood, Vajra-Rishabhanaracha Samghayana (a specific type of strong physique), Samachaturasra Samsthana (perfect body structure), incomparable form, scent like Champaka flowers, 1008 auspicious marks, infinite strength, and speech that is beneficial, measured, and sweet.
  • 11 Karma-Destruction: Famine relief for 100 yojana in all four directions, sky-travel, absence of violence, absence of eating, absence of suffering, facing everyone, absence of shadow, unblinking gaze, perfection in knowledge, nails and hair not growing, and divine speech with 18 Mahabhashas and 700 minor languages.
  • 13 Deity-Created: Forests laden with fruits and flowers, pleasant wind clearing thorns and sand, destruction of animosity, ground becoming pure and gem-like, cloud-dwelling deities sprinkling fragrant water, creation of divine crops, joy for all beings, wind-dwelling deities causing cool winds, wells and ponds filling with pure water, the sky becoming clear, diseases being destroyed, people being amazed by the four Dharma Chakras adorned with rays on the heads of Yaksha-kings, and 56 golden lotuses, a footstool, and various worship materials around the Arhat.

The article concludes by noting the discrepancies and evolution of these descriptions over time, suggesting a shift from more grounded accounts to increasingly miraculous and elaborate depictions driven by devotion and the need to appeal to the populace. It also points out textual variations within manuscripts and printed versions of hymns, such as the Adiinath Stava.