PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Acharya
Sthulabhadra
Suri
Acharya Sthulabhadra Suri
	Sthulabhadra Jain temple in Kamaldah, Patna
Preceded by	Acharya Bhadrabahusuri
Succeeded by	Acharya Mahagirisuri and Acharya Suhastinsuri
Personal
Religion	Jainism
Parent	Sakatala (father);
Sect	Śvetāmbara
Religious career
Teacher	Acharya Sambhutavijayasuri

Sthulabhadra (297-198 BCE) was a Jain monk who lived during the 3rd or 4th century BC. He was a disciple of Bhadrabahu and Sambhutavijaya. His father was Sakatala, a minister in Nanda kingdom before the arrival of Chandragupta Maurya. When his brother became the chief minister of the kingdom, Sthulabhadra became a Jain monk and succeeded Bhadrabahu in the Pattavali as per the writings of the Kalpa Sūtra.^[1] He is mentioned in the 12th-century Jain text Parisistaparvan (appendix to the Trisasti-shalakapurusa-caritra) by Hemachandra.^[2]

Life

Sthulabhadra was a son of the Dhana Nanda's minister Sakatala and brother of Shrikaya.^[3]^[4] He is traditionally dated in 297 to 198 BCE.^[3] He loved and lived with a royal dancer in Dhana Nanda's court named Rupkosa.^[3]^[4] He denied ministry after the death of his father and became a Jain monk.^[5] His brother became the chief minister in Nanda empire later.^[6]^[4] He became a disciple of Sambhutavijaya (347-257 BCE) and Bhadrabahu (322-243 BCE).^[7]^[4]^[8] He led an ascetic life for 12 years.^[6]

He spent his chaturmas at Rupkosa's home, during which she tried to lure him away from ascetic life but failed.^[6] Sthulabhadra in turn gave her vows of a Shravika (Jain laywoman).^[6]

He is said to have learned only 10 purvas (pre-canons with meanings) from Bhadrabahu. Although he knew the last 4 purvas as well, but since he did not know the meaning associated with them, he is not considered to have been a Shrutakevalin.^[2] He was succeeded by his disciples Acharya Mahagirisuri and Acharya Suhastinsuri, whom he taught only 10 purvas because Bhadrabahu had imposed a condition upon him that he would not teach the last 4 purvas to anyone because he had used the knowledge of purvas to display magical powers.^[2]^[6]^[9] 10th century Digambara texts state that Sthulabhadra permitted the use loincloth during the 12-year famine, a practice that started the Śvetāmbara order, but is considered as baseless according to followers of the Śvetāmbara sect. Avashyak Bhashya, a 5th-century Śvetāmbara text written by Jinabhadra claims that the Śvetāmbara sect had always existed and that the Digambara sect was created by a rebellious monk named Sivabhuti.^[10]^[11]^[12]

Legacy

Śvetāmbaras venerate Acharya Sthulabhadrasuri in the following hymn:^[13]

मंगलं भगवान वीरो, मंगलं गौतम प्रभु। मंगलं स्थूलिभद्राद्या, जैन धर्मोस्तु मंगलं॥

Translated as:

Mangalam Bhagaväna Viro, mangalam Gautama prabhu, Mangalam Sthülibhadrädyä, Jaina dharmostu mangalam.

Meaning:

Bhagawän Mahävir is auspicious, Ganadhar Gautam Swämi is auspicious; Ächärya Sthulibhadra is auspicious, Jain religion is auspicious.

References

Citations

^ "Jaina Sutras, Part I (SBE22): Lives of the Ginas: List of the Sthaviras". sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hemacandra. H. Jacobi, ed. (1891). Parishishtaparvam, 2nd ed. Calcutta. Verse IX, pp. 55–76.
^ ^a ^b ^c Natubhai Shah 2004, p. 42.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hemacandra 1998, pp. 155, 169, 194–200.
^ Upinder Singh 2016, p. 273.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Natubhai Shah 2004, p. 43.
^ Natubhai Shah 2004, pp. 42–43.
^ Arya Sthulibhadra By Vijaya Nityānanda Sūri, Cidānanda Vijaya
^ Jain Dharma ka Maulik Itihas, Acharya Hastimal, 1974, Part 2, p. 383-440
^ Dundas, Paul (2 September 2003). The Jains. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-50165-6.
^ "Digambara", britannica.com
^ Sthulabhadra, Ganesh Lalwani, Jain Journal, April 1985, p. 152
^ "YJA | Prayers". www.yja.org. Retrieved 4 April 2024.