Fwd: King Nanda of Pataliputra

[Guest guest]

jainfriends , " ymalaiya " <ymalaiya> wrote:

Recently there has been some discussion about Chanakya, Chandragupta

Maurya and king Nanda and their connection with Jainism.

 

At that time, Jainism was quite popular in Pataliputra (Patna),

capital of Magadh. In Jain texts we find quite detailed accounts of

the lives of Chanakya and Chaadragupta. They tell us that

Chandragupta, the founder of the Maurya dynasty, eventually became a

Jain monk and joined the order led by the great Acharya Bhadrabahu.

The clever Chanakya served as a minister under Bindusara, but

eventually became weary of political intrigues. He gave up all his

possessions, retired and entered samadhi on a dungheap. An opponent

of Chanakya placed fire inside the dungheap. Chanakya remained

motionless even when he was burning.

 

But here I want to talk about king Nanda who founded the dynasty

that was eventually defeated by Chandragupta and Chanakya.

 

These accounts are found in several Jain texts. The one that is

easiest to find occurs in Sthaviravali-charitra by Acharya

Hemachandra, popularly known as Parishishta-parvan, an appendix to

his Tri-shasthi-shalaka-purusha-charitra. He relied on older texts

like the Kalapasutra, Vasudevahindi, Jambuchariyam etc. There is an

English translation " The Lives of the Jain Elders " by R.C.C. Fynes,

published by the Oxford Univ. Press. I quote from this translation.

 

The Jain tradition had an intimate knowledge of the happenings at

that time. Just outside of Pataliputra, lived a learned brahmin,

whose parents had taken the vratas of shravakas, named Kalpak. Nanda

heard about Kalpak's capabilities and invited him to be the prime

minister. Kalpak initially declined, but accepted after Nanda used

some tricks to put pressure on him. Kalpak's descendants continued

to served the dynasty. One of them Shakatala, had two sons. The

younger Shriyaka became the prime minister, and the older was

Sthulabhadra, who later studied under the great Acharya Bhadrabahu.

Acharya Sthulabhadra has a prominent place in the Shvetambara

tradition.

 

Now what does the great Hemachandra writes about Nanda?

 

Canto 6 verse 231

 

" Now in the same city of Pataliputra lived the son of a barber and a

prostitute. He was named Nanda. "

 

The Acharya narrates how fate made him king and how some people in

his court refused to respect him and how eventually he won due

respect. He then writes:

 

Canto 6, verse 252

 

" King Nanda ruled with a great prosperity. He governed his kingdom

well and became learned in scriptures. Generally, merit and valor

are the right standard; a sissy can be born even in a good family. "

 

There, we have the judgment on the rule of king Nanda.

 

Here is my perspective. Birth in a noble family has advantages

because people adapt the values they have absorbed from their

family. But ultimately, one should be judged by his own personal

accomplishments.

--- End forwarded message ---