Monks Monarchs And Materialists

This review by Piotr Balcerowicz discusses Willem B. Bollée's critical edition and English translation of "The Story of Paesi" (Paesi-kahānayam), a central dialogue within the Jaina canonical text Rājapraśnīya (RP). The review highlights the following key aspects:

1. The Text and its Context:

• "The Story of Paesi": This Jain text is an ancient philosophical dialogue preserved in Ardha-Magadhi Prakrit. It features a materialistic governor named Paesi and a philosophically inclined monk named Kesi, a follower of the 23rd Tirthankara, Pārsva.
• Rājapraśnīya (RP): The title of this Jaina canonical book is itself complex with several variants. It likely refers to "King's questions" or "Replies to royal questions." The review notes potential contamination of the title with the Buddhist legend of King Pasenadi and his vassal Pāyāsi.
• The Dialogue's Core: The dialogue presents a conflict between Paesi's materialistic worldview ("the doctrine [maintaining that] the soul is the same as the body") and the Jaina teaching that the soul and body are distinct, with the soul existing after death.

2. The Characters:

• Paesi: A governor or local administrator with a materialistic philosophy. His name might be an epithet rather than a historical proper name, potentially meaning "inciter" or "faultfinder." The review explores various etymological interpretations of his name.
• Kesi: A monk of apparent aristocratic birth ("prince-ascetic"). He is depicted as a follower of Pārsva and possesses supernatural knowledge. The review points out similarities with Kesi's appearance in another Jain text, Uttarādhyayana-sūtra.

3. The Philosophical Debate:

• Materialism vs. Jainism: Paesi argues against the existence of the soul and afterlife, relying on empirical observation and experiments. He conducts drastic experiments to find the soul within the material body.
• Kesi's Argumentation: Kesi attempts to refute Paesi's materialistic claims using counter-comparisons and analogical reasoning. However, the review suggests Kesi's ultimate "victory" in the debate stems less from rigorous logic and more from psychological manipulation and appeals to social etiquette, accusing Paesi of arrogance and moral failing for disagreeing with a learned monk.

4. Parallels and Origins:

• Buddhist Parallel: The review draws a parallel with the Buddhist dialogue featuring the monk Kassapa and the administrator Pāyāsi in the Pāvāsisuttanta. While structurally similar, the linguistic and terminological differences suggest that the Jain and Buddhist versions likely stem from a common source, possibly dating back to the formative period of both religions in the 5th century BCE.
• Materialistic Tradition: The dialogue is considered one of the oldest accounts of materialistic doctrine in India, though it presents this philosophy from the perspective of its opponents.
• Experiments: The description of Paesi's experiments to locate the soul is compared to similar experiments described in the Upanishads, suggesting an indigenous Indian origin rather than a foreign (e.g., Greek) influence.

5. Linguistic and Textual Analysis:

• Bollée's Contribution: The review praises Bollée's work for its critical edition, detailed English translation, extensive philological explanations, and a useful glossary of Prakrit terms with Sanskrit equivalents.
• Etymological Discussions: The review engages with Bollée's suggestions for the etymology of Pāsa/Pārsva, proposing a connection to "Upāśvasena." However, the reviewer raises doubts about this, citing linguistic challenges and the dubious nature of the biographical accounts of Pārsva's parents. The traditional Sanskritization of "Passa" as "Pārsva" is defended.
• Minor Suggestions: The reviewer offers several minor suggestions for improving the translation and interpretation of specific Prakrit phrases, highlighting the difficulty of these passages and the occasional unreliability of later Sanskrit commentators.

6. Broader Significance of "The Story of Paesi":

• Historical and Sociological Value: Beyond its philosophical content, the text provides valuable details about everyday life, customs, birth rites, social stratification, and skills in ancient India.
• Jaina Studies: It is of particular interest to Jaina specialists as it contains an account of the "moral teaching of the fourfold restraint," the essence of Pārsva's doctrine.
• Under-recognized Text: The review notes that the Paesi-kahānayam is often overlooked by scholars studying Indian materialism, in contrast to the more widely known Buddhist version.

7. Publisher Issues:

• The review points out a "disturbing feature" of the book: the abundance of stray hyphens, attributed to the publisher's reformatting process.

In summary, Piotr Balcerowicz's review commends Willem B. Bollée's meticulous scholarly work on "The Story of Paesi," a significant Jaina text that offers insights into ancient Indian materialism, philosophical debates, and societal details. The review also delves into linguistic analysis and historical contextualization, highlighting the text's importance for both Jaina studies and the broader understanding of Indian philosophy.