Gautam Pruccha

The "Gautam Pruccha" (गौतम पृच्छा) is a Jain text that records questions posed by Lord Gautama, the chief disciple of Lord Mahavir, to Lord Mahavir, and the answers provided by Lord Mahavir. The text aims to explain the principles of Jain philosophy, particularly the karmic causes and effects behind the diverse experiences of beings in the world.

Key aspects and content of the text include:

• Core Subject: The book focuses on the causes behind the different states of beings in the world, such as birth in different realms (hell, heaven, animal, human), life spans, physical attributes, wealth, intelligence, and overall happiness or suffering. Lord Gautama, despite being an omniscient-like figure (a Shrut Kevali), asks these questions for the benefit and enlightenment of ordinary beings.
• Structure: The text is structured as a dialogue between Lord Gautama and Lord Mahavir. Lord Gautama poses numerous questions, and Lord Mahavir provides detailed answers, often supported by illustrative stories or examples.
• Content of Questions: The questions cover a wide range of existential and ethical concerns, including:
  • Rebirth into different realms and forms.
  • Causes of longevity or short life.
  • Experiencing pleasure or pain.
  • Attaining intelligence or dullness.
  • Becoming learned or ignorant.
  • Being courageous or fearful.
  • Success or failure in endeavors.
  • Loss or acquisition of wealth.
  • The cause of having or not having children.
  • Physical deformities (deafness, muteness, blindness, lameness, hunchback).
  • Experiencing suffering or peace.
  • Becoming a celestial being or a single-sensed organism.
  • The nature of the cycle of existence and how to transcend it to achieve liberation.
• Answers and Explanations: Lord Mahavir explains that all these varied experiences are the result of the karma performed by the soul. The text details the specific karmic actions that lead to these outcomes. For instance:
  • Naraka Gati (Hellish Realm): Caused by violence, falsehood, theft, adultery, and excessive attachment to possessions.
  • Deva Gati (Heavenly Realm): Caused by austerity, self-control, charity, kindness, and adherence to spiritual guidance.
  • Tiryancha Gati (Animal Realm): Caused by serving friends for selfish motives, betrayal, and being cruel or secretive.
  • Manushya Gati (Human Realm): Caused by sincerity, humility, forgiveness, absence of faults, charity, righteousness, and praising the virtuous.
• Illustrative Stories (Vartas): The text is rich with stories that exemplify the karmic principles. These narratives, often featuring past lives of prominent individuals or common people, vividly illustrate how specific actions in one life lead to specific consequences in future lives. The stories serve to make the abstract philosophical concepts understandable and relatable. Examples include:
  • The story of Subhum, a righteous king who, due to the karma of violence, was reborn in hell.
  • The story of Anand Shravak (a lay follower), whose adherence to vows and practices led him to attain divine knowledge and a heavenly rebirth.
  • The story of Sagar Chandra and Ashok Datta, illustrating the consequences of righteousness and deceit respectively, leading to human and animal rebirths.
  • The story of Padma and Padmini, explaining how contentment and truthfulness lead to fortunate rebirths, while deceit and dishonesty lead to unfavorable ones.
  • The story of Gotrasa, detailing how cruelty to animals results in physical disabilities and suffering.
  • The story of Shivkumar and Yagyadatta, illustrating how actions of betrayal and murder lead to short lifespans and suffering.
  • The story of Damnak, highlighting how protecting life and showing compassion leads to long life.
  • The story of Subuddhi and Kubuddhi, demonstrating how respecting knowledge and teachers leads to wisdom, while disrespect and ignorance lead to foolishness.
  • The story of Kushal and his servant Kumar, explaining how respecting teachers and practicing dharma leads to great wisdom and virtue, while disrespect and ignorance lead to negative outcomes.
  • The stories of Abhay Singh and Dhan Singh, illustrating how compassion and fearlessness lead to bravery, while cruelty and fearfulness lead to timidity.
  • The story of Tritdandi and the barber, showing how disrespect to teachers and concealment of knowledge nullifies learning.
  • The story of Shrenik Raja and the Matanga, demonstrating how true respect and humility lead to the acquisition of knowledge and successful outcomes.
  • The story of Sudhan and Madan, explaining how regret after giving charity leads to the loss of wealth, while selfless giving and right actions lead to prosperity.
  • The story of Shalibhadra, showing the immense rewards of generous charity and devotion.
  • The story of Deshal and Deda, illustrating how compassion and righteous living lead to numerous virtuous offspring, while cruelty and self-indulgence lead to childlessness.
  • The story of Veeram, highlighting how slander and false accusations lead to blindness and deafness.
  • The story of Govindputra Gosaliya, explaining how cruelty to animals and destruction of plants results in skin diseases like leprosy.
  • The story of Datt and his father Dhanna, showing how overburdening animals and lack of repentance leads to hunchbackedness, while righteous actions lead to prosperity.
  • The story of Somdatt Purohit and Brahmdatt, illustrating how pride in one's caste and disrespect towards others leads to a loss of status and a degraded existence.
  • The story of Manorath and Nishpunyak, explaining how lack of renunciation, disrespect, and greed leads to poverty and a lowly existence.
  • The story of Punyasara, demonstrating how acts of generosity, devotion, and adherence to Dharma lead to immense wealth and good fortune.
  • The story of Atta Mall and Phaliha Malla, showing how honesty and confession lead to well-being, while deceit and hiding the truth lead to illness.
  • The story of Datt and Halku, illustrating how inflicting pain on animals and lacking repentance leads to physical deformities.
  • The story of Jagatsundar and Asundar, showing how righteousness, compassion, and devotion lead to beauty and virtue, while envy, cruelty, and disrespect lead to ugliness and misfortune.
  • The story of Lodha, detailing how inflicting pain with instruments on living beings leads to immense suffering, physical deformities, and rebirths in lower realms.
  • The story of Chandan and Jindatt, explaining how acts of compassion, devotion, and repentance lead to fortunate progeny and happiness.
  • The story of Mohak, illustrating how attachment to wealth and family, and ignorance, leads to birth in lower forms of life.
  • The stories of Shur and Veer, contrasting the consequences of atheism and disrespect towards spiritual teachers with righteousness, devotion, and adherence to Dharma, leading to different destinies.
  • The story of Abhaykumar, demonstrating how detachment from worldly pleasures, devotion to spiritual principles, and adherence to Dharma leads to liberation.
• Literary Style: The book employs Gatha (verses) to convey the core message and uses prose for explanations and illustrative stories. The language is presented as accessible for Hindi speakers.
• Purpose: The "Gautam Pruccha" aims to educate the reader about the intricate workings of karma and its influence on one's life and future rebirths, encouraging virtuous conduct and spiritual practice. It serves as a guide to understanding the Jain path towards liberation by clarifying the consequences of actions.

In essence, the "Gautam Pruccha" is a comprehensive guide to understanding the Jain doctrine of karma, presented through a Q&A format between Lord Gautama and Lord Mahavir, enriched with moral tales that illuminate the path to spiritual well-being and ultimate freedom.