Religious Background Of Kuvalayamala

This document, "Religious background of the Kuvalayamala" by A.N. Upadhye, serves as an exploration of the religious teachings and contexts embedded within the Prakrit Campū Kuvalayamala, authored by Uddyotanasūri in 779 AD. The author dedicates this paper as a tribute to Muni Shri Jinavijayaji, who played a crucial role in bringing the Kuvalayamala to scholarly attention and facilitating its publication.

The core of Jainism, as presented in the text, is characterized as "Ethical Realism," emphasizing principles like rebirth, the Karma theory, and individual moral responsibility, all inherited from Sramanic culture. The Jaina Karma doctrine is depicted as absolute, where individuals are solely accountable for their actions and the resulting karmic bondage. This philosophy leads to a moral framework uninfluenced by supernatural intervention, promoting self-reliance in individuals.

The Kuvalayamala itself is primarily a Dharmakathā (religious narrative), although it incorporates elements of Artha (material prosperity) and Kāma (desire) which, in the long run, are presented as conducive to Dharma (righteous conduct). The narrative aims to illustrate the consequences of negative emotions like anger, pride, deceit, and greed, showcasing how religious instruction serves as the most effective remedy for individuals caught under their sway. The author highlights that the entire tale is crafted to impart moral lessons, guiding readers toward good behavior through the experiences of the characters.

The text meticulously lists various religious discourses and doctrinal expositions found within the Kuvalayamala, covering a vast range of Jaina teachings. These include:

• The Nature of Harm (Himsā): Major types and their pretexts.
• The Realms of Existence: Descriptions of hells, sub-human births, human births, and the anxieties of gods.
• Karmic Principles: A detailed discourse on anger, pride, deceit, greed, and delusion, along with their gradation, and the mechanics of karmic bondage and liberation.
• The Soul (Jiva): Its nature, relation to karma, transmigration, and eventual liberation.
• Pathways to Liberation: Glorification of Samyaktva (right faith), exposition of Dharma, its practice, and objectives, and the fundamentals of Dharma.
• Practices and Virtues: The five Great Vows (Mahāvratas), attendant Bhāvanās (contemplations), twelve Anuprekshās (reflections), and the traits of a Samyag-drsti (one with right vision).
• Cosmology and Practice: Conventional descriptions of heavenly abodes, details of Pūjā (worship), the Five Supreme Beings (Pañca Paramēṣṭhins), and the duties of laymen and monks.
• Rituals and Observances: Explanations of Samayika (equanimity practice) and Pratikramaņa (atonement).
• Death and Asceticism: Distinction between different types of death and details about the ascent on the Kṣapaka-śrēņi (path of soul purification).
• The Pañca-namaskāra: Its significance, protective power, and auspicious influence even on animals.
• Community Life: Emphasis on Sadharmika-Vātsalyatva (affection for fellow Jains), indicating Jainism as a way of life fostering community.

Beyond purely Jaina doctrines, the Kuvalayamala also provides glimpses into the contemporary religious landscape of the period, including critiques of other creeds and references to their practices. This includes:

• Criticism of Non-Jaina Practices: The text refutes various cults and rituals prevalent for securing offspring, such as self-mutilation, blood offerings, and appeasement of deities with blood. It also critiques practices like offering heads to deities, selling human flesh, burning incense on the head, and praying to Indra.
• Worship of Deities: Mentions prayers to Rājalakṣmī for royal prosperity and the worship of various deities like Govinda, Skandha, Rudra, Durga, Yaksha, and natural phenomena for worldly gains.
• Review of Other Religious Schools: A substantial section reviews tenets and practices of Buddhism, Samkhya, Upanishadic thought, Vedic sacrifices, Brahmanical practices (including gifts to Brahmins, bathing in holy rivers, and caste-based duties), Advaita, Bhakti cults, self-immolation, fatalism, the concept of Īśvara, and the Jñānamārga. These are presented in contrast to the Jaina path of five vows.
• Critique of Brahmanical Prayaścitta: A strong attack is made against the Brahmanical prescription of atonement, which involves renouncing possessions and begging, as opposed to the Sramanic emphasis on repentance, mental purification, and penance.
• Temples and Holy Places: References to temples dedicated to various deities (Rudra, Jina, Buddha, Durga, etc.) and holy sites, including sacrificial enclosures, Brahmanical schools, and residences of ascetics.
• Educational Institutions: Descriptions of Mathas (colleges) where students learned various arts, crafts, sciences, and even military skills, with classes held in advanced subjects like grammar, Buddhism, Samkhya, and Jainism.
• Knowledge and Practices: Discussion of various arts and sciences, including alchemy (Dhātuvāda), detection of treasure-trove (Khanyavāda), painting, astrology (Nimitta-jñāna), and the symbolic interpretation of dreams. The text also touches upon horse breeds, physiological advice, and the use of writing materials like birch bark and palm leaves.

In essence, the work by Prof. Dr. A.N. Upadhye elucidates how the Kuvalayamala, while a narrative work, is deeply imbued with Jaina religious philosophy and practices. It serves as a valuable source for understanding not only Jaina dogmatics but also the broader religious and cultural milieu of ancient India, highlighting the distinctiveness of the Jaina path amidst a diverse spiritual landscape.