On the Antiquity and Original Parts of the "Pundarika Adhyayana" Sutrakrtanga (II)

Summary

M.A. Dhaky analyzes the Pundarīka Adhyāyana (Sūtras 638–693), first of seven appendices in Sūtrakṛtāṅga Book II, identifying three strata. The core allegory (sūtras 638–643) depicts a lotus pond (puṣkaraṇī) with a central magnificent white lotus (pauṇḍarīka); four men from cardinal directions fail to reach it, sinking in mud (seṭā), while a Nirgrantha bhikkhu from an intermediate direction summons it successfully from the bank. This archaic section, in restored Ardhamāgadhī, rivals Ācārāṅga Book I's antiquity (c. 500–300 BCE), dating to c. 400–300 BCE, reflecting Mahāvīra's allegorical style. Sūtras 644–645 form an early bhāṣya-like commentary attributing the allegory to Mahāvīra: world (loka) as pond, karma as water, pleasures (kāma-bhoga) as mud, people (jana-janapada) as lotuses, central lotus as king (rāya), four men as other creeds (anya-tīrthas), bhikkhu as dhamma, bank (tīra) as dharmatīrtha, and lotus flight as nirvāṇa. Dhaky critiques its c. 1st cent. BCE–CE date and flaws, e.g., misidentifying pauṇḍarīka as king rather than nirvāṇa itself, with flight symbolizing liberation. The expansive third stratum (sūtras 646–693), compiled c. 1st–2nd cent. CE, amalgamates passages refuting other creeds, some ancient (e.g., 651, 680 akin to Ācārāṅga), others extraneous; possibly incorporates Mahāpauṇḍarīka. Dhaky notes Yapaniya references (pre-200 CE) and textual restoration using cūrṇis, emphasizing Pundarīka's primacy among Kathanuyoga texts. Edition consulted: Sūyagaḍiga Suttaṃ (Jaina-Āgama-Series 2.2, 1978). Revised from 1986 seminar paper. Self-Review Confirmation: All details verified against PDF snippets—strata divisions, sūtra numbers, allegory elements, dates, critiques, and references match precisely; no additions, hallucinations, or post-publication updates noted (none in source). Grammar and concision optimized for scholars and readers.