Samprati Raja

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Book: Samprati Raja Author: JAINA Education Committee Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Summary:

The text introduces King Samprati as a significant Jain king who reigned in the latter part of the 3rd century BCE and the early 2nd century BCE. He was the grandson of the great king Ashoka and the son of King Kunal.

Historical Mentions and Evidence:

• Jain History: Jain historical accounts provide details of his life.
• Buddhist Literature: This literature refers to him by the Prakrit name Sampadi.
• Hindu Puranas: His name is also found in some Hindu Puranas, where he is mentioned as Samprati, Sampati, and Saptati.
• Coins: Coins minted during his reign bear his name and a crescent moon shape. The crescent moon is identified as a symbol of Siddhashila (the abode of liberated souls) in Jainism. Some coins also feature three dots below the crescent, symbolizing the Jain principles of Samyak Darshan (Right Faith), Samyak Gyan (Right Knowledge), and Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct). The presence of a "Saathiyo" (a Jain auspicious symbol resembling a swastika) below the three dots on some coins serves as strong evidence of his Jain affiliation.

Samprati's Early Life and Conversion to Jainism:

• King Samprati was raised and educated in the city of Avantī.
• In 232 BCE, he became the king of Ujjain (referred to as "Ati Nagar" in the text, likely Ujjain).
• As a prince, he witnessed a procession led by the prominent Jain Acharya Suhastisuri. Seeing the Acharya, Samprati felt a sense of familiarity. After deep reflection, he realized that this Acharya had been his guru in a past life.
• He paid respects to the Acharya and inquired if the Acharya remembered their past connection. After a moment of thought, the Acharya recalled that Samprati had been his disciple in a previous birth.
• This encounter deeply influenced Samprati.

A Pivotal Past Life Event and its Impact:

The text recounts a story from Acharya Suhastisuri's time in Kausambi during a severe famine.

• During the famine, Jain monks faced difficulties in obtaining alms (gochari). Devout Jain householders took special care to ensure the monks received food.
• A very poor man, on the verge of starvation, observed that even in this dire famine, the monks were receiving sufficient food. He requested food from the Acharya.
• Knowing that this man had the potential to become a great Jain layman in a future life, the Acharya told him he would receive food if he became a monk.
• The poor man readily agreed and was immediately initiated as a monk. However, being starved for many days, he ate excessively and suffered severe stomach pain. He cursed himself for his overindulgence.
• Despite the care from other monks, his pain worsened, and he passed away that night. Because he endured his suffering with composure due to his monkhood, he was reborn as the grandson of King Ashoka (King Samprati).
• When Acharya Suhastisuri recounted this entire incident to Samprati, he was overjoyed. He understood the immense benefits of even a brief period of adherence to Jainism.
• With deep faith, Samprati accepted Acharya Suhastisuri as his guru and embraced Jainism.

Samprati's Reign and Devotion to Jainism:

• Upon becoming king, Samprati offered his entire kingdom to his guru, acknowledging that his prosperity was due to the Acharya's grace.
• As Jain monks do not possess possessions, the Acharya declined the offering. Instead, he advised Samprati to spread Jainism throughout his kingdom and encourage his subjects to follow the faith.
• Samprati accepted this advice and became a devout Jain.
• His kingdom extended south to the Vindhya Mountains and west to the Arabian Sea.
• He was a prolific builder of Jain temples. He also encouraged kings in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh to construct temples.
• Jain tradition states that during his reign, he commissioned 12.5 million marble idols and over 100,000 metal idols of Tirthankaras. He also either built or renovated approximately 36,000 temples.
• To propagate Jainism, he sent his emissaries to Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma, and China, mirroring King Ashoka's efforts in spreading Buddhism. This led historian Vincent Smith to refer to Samprati as the "Jain Ashoka."
• He was exceptionally generous towards Jain followers, providing them with all forms of support.
• Remembering his past life's hunger, he was compassionate towards the poor and ensured they did not go hungry. He established around 700 charitable rest houses (Dharmashalas) that provided free meals.
• Samprati had no children, which he attributed to his past karma.
• After ruling his vast empire for fifty-three years and adhering to all the principles of Jainism, he passed away in 179 BCE.
• The text concludes by stating that he was reborn in heaven and will eventually attain moksha (liberation) after another human birth.

Core Message:

The text emphasizes that helping others is the highest way to follow Jainism. King Samprati exemplified this virtue by renovating and building temples, installing Tirthankara idols, and aiding the poor to alleviate their suffering. The narrative highlights that even a brief engagement in religious activities yields manifold results, as demonstrated by Samprati's life. It encourages the reader to always be ready to help others.