.,--

�� -:r (\ '- \ : OJi .. &� �, W�j e.Se, \=.e.-r 0.... �e\�<-J o:.�'o", <2..�. -:) , \: \o-.\c.o..9.'�"(� J C.o \o...-.�o �91�.

THE STORY OF THE SHELL-MAIDENS

B.A'1'NA HANDURUKANDE

I

Ms. Add, 1580 in the Un iversit.y Library at, Ca.mbridge, 'palm.leaf; 4 leaNt's, 5 lin lOx 2 in. ; dated N.8. 547 (A.D, 1427)', described on p.l28, in the Catalogue of (·he Buddhist Sanskrit, lVIanui;cripts. C. 13011 da 11, Ca.mbridge lR8;3, conta.ins the nidiinalmt.ha of t.he Sa.m. biiIUi,vadfina.

Tn t.he tinw of the Buddha Kasyapa . . a king cal led Krkill rlliefl over Benares . ........ �_ ...... queen was Ketumati. They had one SOil, Sujii(a, and sevell clallghters: Padma.vati, Suta. mailjarl. Dhin\ati, Nayanamailjari. Yasornati, Maharhjahii and Rat.llamiila. It is story of a previol1s hirt.h of these seven maidf'ns that. is relat,�ct in thi::; short ms.

In Magadha t.here was a pond called Caityagarbha , the n,bode of mallY water·hnl'fk:¥WJo.

There were also seven shells in it. Thr011gh t.heir inherent tendencies, conditioned by past merit.s, these s hells used to circnmam bulate a crystal caitya that was in the

One day, a fisherman called Rupaka cast, his net into this pond, Only the seven

were caught in this net, Disappointed, the fisherman hancled them to hi.' wi fe, She, toQaHti t.hinking t.hat no one would buy them, boiled them and ate them herself. In course time, she became pregnant. At t,he end of eight or nine mont.hs, she gave birth to daughters, They grc\\ lip, fond of each Ot·hf'f and anxious aboll t til(:> fat.her's sinful of fish,

On onc occasion, sent by tile mother to sell fi8h, t.he seven maidens sat on the OalllK!!l!!!112 of a stream a,nc1 rE�flected: " As a result· of our past, evil cleecls. we havp. been born in family of a fisherman. How could we, therefore, conti nne doing evil?" Thinking they cast int,o t.he water t.he fish that. \l'ere alin: and sold only the dead fish, A few ...... .1'111-: ..

passed a,nd their mot.her coming to lmo\V of this abllsed them and beat them. she killed all the fish before giving them for sale, Deject.ed� the maidens cont.inued to fish. On their way hack from the marlwt, t,hey rest.ed on the banI< of t.he st,ream , and forget the harsh t.reat.ment inflicted on t.hem by their mother, t.hey ma.de cait.yas of a.nd paid homage t.o t.hem, Noting their d01ay in rea,ching homc, the mother sent

father for them. Seeing what tl1C'y ,\,CTC doing, he became very angry , abnsed them,

them and re(,urned horne. The ma.idpl1s remained on t,h!' bank of the stream , H"'-J..l" ......

pitifully. '"' _'<.

A pratyekabndcl ba hea rd their laments, Through compassion for them he there, rose to tll(� sky and performed m iracles in their prf'sence. Please(t on seeing

miracles, the maidel1s paid obeisance to him and ,,'ished fervC'llt.ly that they too become pratyekabuddhas, The prat.yekabllddha predicted that they will die OJ] the

day from then, and be reborn as the seven da,ughters of King Krkin, The maidens

� · 'tlI��.-...;. .... __ r.'I-... �4b __ ....... E ... �\T i i� ffi

·.lea.V'e of the pratyelcabuddha after' worshipping him, and went, home. There, they fell

a.t the feet of their pa.rent.s (l,nd admonished them, urging them to abst.ain from destroying

life. Duri Ilg t.he next seven cbys, tJl(.�y (;onblltwd to pay hOlllage t.o ea,ityas of sn,nd on the

hank of the stremlJ. On t.he seventh day, tile? died and \\'ere born as j)J'incCSSG8 in t.he ['oval falllily of King Krkin. Their fat.ber t,oo gave up killing and led a virt.l;ons life,

.

II The following iSf.t tenta,tive edition of the Sambfd«1vaLlunanida.nalmth£i, based on a .

. photostat. copy of Ms. Add. 1580 of I.he University library, Cambridge, t.ll(' only version of the story ],now.ll to t.h8 prescll t '\Tit.er.

A row of dots indicate places where t.he reading could not Ll' dE·ciphered. Relevant footnot·es illdicatl-) instances ·where the ma,nuscript readings have been amended and COll­

jectural readings int.roduced. The use of y for b; j for y; the interchange of n/rh/lll, n/I.1. {;j4�; the spelling q1m for m O('C1][' frequently in the ll1anuscrj pt.. These varjations concli· t,ioned by tho peculiarities of the ianguage and the ort.hogr-a.phy of the scri be have not �een noted to a.void tho nnnecessar.y lengthening of the critil.'u,l appa.rat.us. COllfusion of person and number, a widespread phellolDPllon in I3urldhist Hybrid Sanskrit (see SPCt.iOll 25 in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Grammar by F. Edgcrt,oll, Yale Universit.y Press. 1053), is in evidence in the t.ext.

Namal). sarvajnaya. virilsatisa,hasrabdayuh prajiia�ra lokanayakah VaraDasya,rh samutpanno dharmarajo hi Kasyapab .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Krki nama nar adbipal). ded Ketumati tasya Suj a.tol nama nandanab adya Padmavati2 dhita clvitiya, Sutamaiijari trhya Dhimati namn:'i catnrthj3 Nayanamafijari palkam] Yasomat,l ca sa:;;ti capi MahariJ.jaha s::tptami Ratnamalakhyii. sujatil,J bhfipakanyakah adan t.avad R(lika.thii." npavaJ�f?yate.G Asti 11a' Magadhe�u8 Caityagarbho ni!,ma pUf?ku,ral�l. S;L callekaY-jalacala-jantn-vihailga.10-gaDa10-nivasabhflta. TasyFiii ca sapta sambilka babhii­vub.ll Te oa pragjanmopaci�ap1111yavasanaYii1:l tadH ant.ajiLt.all1l:) sphat-ikarh caityarh ..... krnmena pradakl?it:lena pal'ibhrarnantao sthitab.

Atha kaclacit tat tat,opakaDtilanivasilfi tajjalapannam.atsya� ikriyo�alabdha­miilvpajivo RLipako nama clhivaro lllatsyapaharaDaya jalalll kf?iptavan.18 Tatra tab1!) eva19 sambltldi.n. pravidc1hah ...... matsya,h a.prapt.ah. Mats'yabh[wii.d�o vi�a{l\�ab :,wag­'halG ga.t.va svapatnyflY apntrikaya22 haf;�tan eva pratipad.Ya ..... jlvanopii.yarh�3 cintayan eviipi gat.a,vall. Atr:lntare tat p"otni ca kiil karomi24 cta24 jalamuktayah ke cid api na k1'a­,{anti iti vicint.y,' paktva svayarn 0va ta.t sarvariJ. bhak!)itavatL Tatab killena sa apan­lasatva sarilVftta.25 Sa2G ai?tanarh2G vii, nav8·na.rh va masanam2, atyc1,yii.t marhsapil)<;ian­arg<lt.i1D lcanYldu1 supta prasiita.vat.l.23 TclS ca krameT)a salnvardhamiina. sthitao paras­luropaj atapriJivisram bh a,ll pra.gjam rlO parjit.apul.1yapari pakasa rilj Ii tame�9tjlcCaf'jUi pi trOD 30

- - . - t 31 . . ( /. - -I v InHta.tlpao�.paplll iasaq10raSil ). .

47

Tatah kadacit ma.tsavikreyiirtham jallunya tiih kanyaldih32 'pA,l)yavithikarh3� pre�itab Tas34 CQ,�4 matsabhujanmll §irasi nidhaya gacchantyopamargopakal)thavatirl)u,S5 saritamB� twalokya3B tat 1.at·atire37 trnam upavisya parasparam38 cinta.yam ["suO.39 Vayarh piirvajan, mant.areSn Hneli.aso maha,t piiparn lqtvii. iyarh janmani kalui;lanicaye kcval'takule jatab. Nanu katham idiillim api kulml'ma kriyatc it.i vicint.yrt jivitamats5.n tajjale k.�iptvli gatvfi ca mrtamatsiin40 vikriya yat miilyarhH labdhaviin4� tat4:1 mc1tllhaste pl'atipadyanena41 kramel)a kecid dinani prerayilffi asuh. Sa, eR taccarita.h natvii lagu\lcna santi.i�'ya 'Vakya, krosel)a4c. vibhartsya4G laguc:lena ca santfic:lya matsyi'Lll api jiviti'id vyaparopayitva vikre. yiiya47 dadati. Tas ca tat ji'iatv£i vi�al)l)aJ.l pragjanmavihitarh >;vakiymn kllkarma vicillty_ � .m�lla tan �v� viyatn�h vikriyag�mal1�>;an:aye tat

.revwa:st.i:rc visramya miit�'ta<;lanopa.

pmtavedanavlSmaral)aya tat pulme valukamayam c2_1tyam prthak prthak mrmaya tac caitye�u chatram48 aropya pradak�il)aril lq'tavan. Tatab tat pit,a. tadanii,gamal1aSa�jii. tasarhdehaya patnyii,nvei?u,l)a.ya pre::;itab. 8a50 paribhraman�)l t.acl52 dcsam sarhpnlptiib. Tusii.rh vice�titaril'):\ drf?tvh sEtmupajanitamal'l?o nirbhartsya.51 vtica sarhtii<;l,vu, ya..�ty:\ tadiinit.adhanyat.al)<;luladimtlS3ayavagrharil gatvii, sva,pntllyii, tae ea,ritari:t�5 kathayanH st.hitab.57 1\i8 eu, tntta<;lanopajatamarmavedanii\'ieintitahrclnyiil). bhum({.v'lrtamlln:'t ueeaib�8 kmdatyab sakarUl�am alapa.ntyab. sthiUth.

Atrantare . . . . . "o pl'at.yckabuddhas tad girilmndaranivasl (lhyiilliisaktamanasa.b tat

lcal'11l)iikrandanasabdam akal'l)yot.thaya samjatakal'1ll)<lf5 L1,c1 clt'S,Ull agatyavalokya. �isira�variseeanena ta kanyaka labdhasa.rhjfia jatismar5.s ca lqtv[i, bt karmaparamparan ea jiiatvagaganam utpatyarddhivikurvitarhsarhdarsayam asa.01 Api tiih62 tadc\jtrsanoP/l­labdhacittaprasad;'il.l samuttha'ya.darel.lanekaprac1ak�i!)am krtva$�angapral)ama.m krtva.gl'c sthitva pral)ipatam akar�uh. Anena kusalarnulena vayalhJ:>havantMepl'at,yekabndclhatv8,til priipayamet.i. Vayaril sarvagatif?u anekaso rathacakranyayenativa srantiiJ.l. 8ampratam asmii.karh bhagavan eva63 pramal)ari1. Sa aha. He bhaginyah . . . . (H yu:;:mfi.kam atra saptame ahani jivitftd vibbavayj�yati. Alpaka.lam eva tato varal)asyii rii.jakule�u janma ca. Tii. eva dhivarakfmya.kab KrkI nama rnahuriijasya sapta kum?il'iku. babhiivatl� iti. Atha tii

Imnyaki'i.l). pratyekabuddharh namaslqtYl1 svagrharn gatva miitipital'au sUi?tangapadam pl'l1l)amya janubhyam hhiiman nidhClya I-tenb. TMa �ruyaUiri.l. anityabhute bhavasigare asmin cale yatha cormitarangabbiite svapnopame mrtyuvasasya ja.te pra!Jatipate�u matib. kathalilG(l te 07 8U kram utra.puri�aii ca d urgandb amalasalhkulalil tvagmamsasol)itaril lUcda.ril snayuvadG8 asthipafijaram l<rimijilasatakirl)am adbbiltam tu kac:levararh asya dehanimittena(}9 pra!)a hanti tvaya pitab

Dharmasenava.ro raja70 mrgayakarmatatpfu:ah pra!)atipaUi.t71 so py72 evalh72 vyatito na srutan nu7:l naJ.173

yathatmanah priyab pral)ab sarve�arh pnil)inarh74 tathii tasmiit mrtyusantrasU\.n7� tra.tavyii.b pral�ino bu(lhail,l.

janmamrtyurjaradubkhe nityaril salnsarasoeanc jantavah parikliSyante mrtyos7G trasyant.i te tab!)

77mariS3yamlti yad duhkharb. jantoh78 samupajayute7U jiieya.� tenanumanena pftro pi parirak�it.um80

48

.,

1;p1l ••••• W .. RoJ ___ .zzl'fll_ .. ____ Hrt_�·1II7 1il11_MB' ___ ... \tra ��-",', ": " • ::"';':''':.I-SEliill_�_.Llt

:yatha. ca te jivitam iitmanab. priyalil

tathii P[�re�am "'pi jivitam priyam samrakl?asc jivitam iitmano yathii

tathil, parc�am a,pi l'akl:ia jlvitam

jty nktva UtI.l kanyakiih81 pitarau prar:w,mya u,tha"� tan naditiram upngiunya valllkiibhis cait,yam nirmiiya pratyahalll samplljya vmtopavi1:;;enn saptadinc9u rajfial). kule pnldur­

bhlivu,n. Atluisan Rupako nama dhivaro tiisam pUI.lJanubhR.vayacaniimrtavf�tibhir

a.pyayamana.hrdayo vispandata iva sasrunet.rayugalo pUl).yasagarc magna i\-a pllrl:ya.f:;ak.

tam:1.nasab. tatab.83 lJrabhrti priiT.1iitipatam vihaya tapasa niyamapOf?Cl)a sarlram upa�o­bhyiinutt,al'iiril padavlTll upala �havan, Samuflkii,yadanu-nidii.llakatha. sa.mapta.�+

NOTES 1. sujaUi 2. patmavati 3. catnrthya 4. bhujata f), va.m 6. ''yet.e 7. burtl 7,8, BendaU: hariH:;agadhe�u 9. Bendall: raueka 10. Bendall: vihaggana 11. Bendall: vastuvuh 12. "citta" 13. ')naya 14,15. tadanantajatall1 16. °pamkaI).yhani\yaSan1 17. tal'jalapa'? tamfitSYfi vikri" 18. �iptaC 19. tavaiva. 20. mat.syad 21. pata-nya 22. a1 kay a 23. °ya 24. karometa 25. "t.va 26. sastanarn 27. masam 28. °su\'"ati 29. sabjata" 30. "tro :)1. pdiI).adio 32.

oo�a 33

� "ka 34. tas tas ca 35. opamkaD�l��(' 36. s�rit:nao 37. t�,tIr� 38. vra,

39. °sab 40. sa 41. ya 42. lavdavan 43. ta 44. prapl 45. vakya� �er.H� oil). vlbhatsya 47. vikri° 48. carmam 49. tadannagamanam 50. samai 51. prari0 52, ta 53. vici" 54. nibhrasya 55.0tram 56. °na 57. eta 58. °aj 59. �tJasiri1prasampraptab. 60, sj:§irarasmivari 61. °sah 62, t.ardao 63. yeva 64. kiriwa? na 65. vabhuvam 66. ka,tha 67. Cf. Hitopadesa" Mitrala"bha, v. 87. 68.ovadh 69. nimitena 70. raja 71. praI)adi'-' 72. pe\ran1 73. nannh 74, priiI).iI)an 75. mrrtyutapantra" 76. mrtos 77. Cf. Hitopadesa, Mitrala.bha, \�. 108, 78. °to 79. °jayate 80. °k�aturh 81. aka 82. °thft 83. eta 84. eta.

\ .'

i ... . ' .

. I

, ...

. : -'.

49