Danlakshana Aur Danshasana By Vasupujyarsi - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Dānalakşaņa or Dānaśāsana" by Śrī Vasu-pūjyarşi, based on the given pages:

This document is an academic article from "Anusandhan 42" (December 2007) by Jagannatha, detailing the discovery and initial analysis of a Jain Sanskrit manuscript titled "Dānalakşaņa" or "Dānaśāsana."

Discovery and Manuscript Details:

The manuscript was unexpectedly found in the library of the Oriental Research Institute, Mysore, approximately five years prior to the article's publication.
It is written in the Kannada script.
The original work is in Sanskrit, composed entirely of verses in various metres.
Some verses include "Avatārika" (link sentences).
Crucially, the manuscript contains a Kannada commentary, which is described as unusually elaborate and explanatory, going beyond mere word-to-word translations often seen in such commentaries.
The commentator sometimes interweaves Kannada verses, including one in the Mahāsragdlarā metre, suggesting either the commentator's own composition or quotes from other sources.
Some Sanskrit verses are also present within the commentary, likely as quotations.
A notable observation is that some Sanskrit verses are left uncommented, possibly because the commentator found them either easy to understand or insignificant.
The title of the work is identified as "Dānalakşaņa" in the commentary of the second verse and "Dānaśāsana" in the last verse. A critical edition is needed to determine the definitive title.
The manuscript is from the Oriental Research Institute, Mysore.
Manuscript Identification:
- Ms. Number: Not available due to "unavoidable problems."
- Author: Śrivasu-pūjyarşi.
- Kannada Commentary: Title not mentioned.
- Commentator: Name not mentioned.
- Scribe: Pata.
- Recipient: Adivarnin.
- Original Language: Sanskrit.
- Commentary Language: Kannada.
- Script: Kannada.
- Size: 53.5 x 5 cm.
- Folios: 1-172.
- Lines per Folio: 8.
- Letters per Line: 88.
- Extent: Complete.
- Condition: Normal.
- Date of Copying: Recorded as "vijyābhyudaya samvat śālivāhana sakavarsa (-) neya durmukhi nāma samvatsara asādhasuddha pañcami kujavāra" (a specific date according to the Salivahana Saka era, involving the named year Durmukhi and the fifth day of the waxing moon in Ashadha on a Tuesday).
- Legibility: Very legible.
- Accuracy: Not flawless, containing "several scribal errors."

Content and Themes (as extracted from verses and commentary):

The text appears to be a treatise on the virtue and practice of Dāna (donation) within the Jain tradition, elaborating on its different types, principles, and consequences.

Introduction: The work begins with salutations to Brahmā and Lord Jinendra.
Nature of Donation: Verse 2 compares donation to the cause of crop prosperity, stating that just as sown seeds yield fruit, donations lead to happiness in all three realms (past, present, future).
Audience: Verse 3 specifies that this text should be read and discussed only with those possessing "pure right faith" (śuddhasadṛṣṭibhiḥ) and who are eager to acquire pure merit (śuddhapuṇyopārjana-lam-paṭaiḥ), not with others.
Types of Donation and their Fruits:
- The text seems to differentiate between various forms of donation, categorizing them.
- Verse 4 discusses the fruits of "Kramakṛta" (done in sequence/regularly) and "Kṛṣidāna" (donation related to agriculture/cultivation). It suggests that those who perform regular good deeds and diligent cultivation achieve ultimate happiness.
- Verse 5 defines Dāna as wealth given to a worthy recipient (pātra) for the sake of Dharma.
- General Classification (Verse 6): Donation is broadly categorized into:
  - Uttama (Excellent): Given to the most worthy.
  - Madhyama (Medium): Given to a medium-level recipient.
  - Jaghanya (Inferior): Given to the lowest recipient.
  - Saṅkīrṇa (Mixed): A blend of qualities.
  - Karunya (Compassionate): Given out of pity.
  - Dosada (Defective): Associated with flaws.
  - Sarvasaṅkīrṇa (All-Mixed): (The exact meaning requires further analysis).
  - The commentary notes that the classification is "ashtadha" (eightfold), suggesting there might be more detailed categories.
- Specific Types and Examples:
  - General Donation (Sāmānya): Described in verses 7 and 8. It can be given to any Jain, even without scrutinizing the recipient's worthiness, like offering food. It's also described as giving what is appropriate. A quote highlights that only those who are "pure" and provide proper care can sustain wealth.
  - Defective Donation (Dosada) (Verse 9): When kings donate wealth earned through sinful means to Brahmins, it is considered defective, leading to the downfall of the Brahmins.
  - Excellent Donation (Uttama) (Verse 10): Offering food and other things after respecting (satkṛtya) muniśvaras (ascetics) who embody the perfect form of Jinendra is considered excellent.
  - Medium Donation (Madhyama) (Verse 11): Donation to a medium-level recipient.
  - Inferior Donation (Jaghanya) (Verse 11): Donation to an inferior recipient.
  - Mixed Donation (Saṅkīrṇa) (Verse 12): Offering food and other things after honoring both worthy and unworthy individuals invited to a Jinotsava (Jain festival).
  - Compassionate Donation (Kāruṇya) (Verse 13): Helping those afflicted by illness, imprisonment, punishment, hunger, drowning, or fire is considered compassionate donation.
  - Propriety Donation (Ocitiya) (Verse 14): Providing food to one's own kith and kin or those eagerly serving the Jain community, and also making timely and appropriate donations to singers and others, knowing the consequences of avoidance, is called propriety donation.
Consequences of Giving/Not Giving:
- Verse 15 suggests that if a ruler who is a killer, thief, or adulterer is approached for wealth, people will not trust or rely on him. Similarly, righteous and virtuous donors receive the fruits of their donations, acquiring gems and fortune.
- The "End" section discusses the negative consequences of deceit, unlawful gains (like taking others' property under the guise of letters), and acting as a forced laborer (vishtikara), leading to ruin in this life and the next.
- Purity and Impurity: Verses highlight that purity (śucitva) leads to auspicious outcomes and repels inauspicious actions. Impurity (aśucitva) attracts bad karma and allows unpleasant things (like flies in a smelly place) to enter.
- Consequences of Mental State: The text warns that disrupting the concentration of Jain munis during their meditation will lead to the destruction of one's home and uprooting.
- Social Conduct: Jain individuals should not sit on the same seats occupied by kings, gurus, or wise men unless they possess similar Dharma (righteousness).

Colophon and Postcolophon:

Colophon (Puspika): Mentions that this "holy donation scripture" (pāvana-dānaśāsanā) was spoken by Śrī Vāsupūjyarṣi in the year Saka 782 (calculated as "triyugānaśītigu-yute" - 700 + 80 + 2), during the month of Māgha, on the tenth day of the waxing moon. It advises donors to meditate like gold testers on the three types of worthy recipients.
Postcolophon (Uttara-puspika): Attributes the transcription of the text to Pata, who served the lotus feet of Śrī Gomateśā, a great Arhat on Vindhya mountain at Śrī Veḷaguḷa. It states Pata transcribed it for the monk Ādivarṇi and prays for the forgiveness of his mistakes due to compassion.
The postcolophon also reiterates the copying date using the Salivahana Saka era and the local Vikrama Samvat year, specifically mentioning "ney... śrīma... nāma samvatsara" and the fifth day of the waxing moon in Ashadha on a Tuesday.

In essence, this article introduces a significant Jain manuscript that delves deeply into the principles and practices of charitable giving within Jainism, emphasizing the importance of the recipient's spiritual standing, the donor's intent, and the purity of the act itself. The existence of a detailed Kannada commentary makes this work particularly valuable for understanding the text and its context.