Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra is a

Jain text Jain literature (Sanskrit: जैन साहित्य) refers to the literature of the Jain religion. It is a vast and ancient literary tradition, which was initially transmitted orally. The oldest surviving material is contained in the ca ...

composed by Aacharya Samantbhadra Swamy (second century CE), an ''

acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' ( Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a ...

'' of the

Digambara ''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being '' Śvētāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing ...

sect of

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle bein ...

. Aacharya Samantbhadra Swamy was originally from

Kanchipuram Kanchipuram ('; ) also known as ''Conjeevaram,'' is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, from Chennaithe capital of Tamil Nadu. Known as the ''City of Thousand Temples'', Kanchipuram is known for its temple ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

. Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra is the earliest and one of the best-known śrāvakācāra. A śrāvakācāra discusses the conduct of a

Śrāvaka Śrāvaka (Sanskrit) or Sāvaka (Pali) means "hearer" or, more generally, "disciple". This term is used in Buddhism and Jainism. In Jainism, a śrāvaka is any lay Jain so the term śrāvaka has been used for the Jain community itself (for example ...

or Jain lay practitioner. Hiralal Shastri mentions 29 such texts from 2nd century CE to modern times.Shravakachara Samgraha, Part 4, Pages Ka-Kha, Hiralal Shastri, Jivaraj Jain Granthmala, 1998

Overview

First verse of the ''Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra'' is dedicated to Vardhamāna Mahāvīra, the 24th

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a ' ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the '' dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable pass ...

: :Namāh śri Vardhamāna-e nirdhutakalilātmane :Sālokānāma trilokānāma yadā-vidyā darpanāyate! (1-1) Tr.- I bow to Śri Vardhamāna Mahāvīra who has washed off llthe impurities of

karmic Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...

filth from His Soul, ndIn Whose Perception scintillate the three Worlds and the infinity of Space, as in a mirror !

Chapters

Seven chapters or parts of the ''Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra'' are: #Right Faith #Characteristics of Right Knowledge #'' Anuvrata'' #''Guņa vratas'' #''Śikşā vratas'' # Sallekhanā #Eleven Pratimas

Translation

Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra was first translated in English language in 1917 by

Champat Rai Jain Champat Rai Jain (6 August 1867–2 June 1942) was a Digambara Jain born in Delhi and who studied and practised law in England. He became an influential Jainism scholar and comparative religion writer between 1910s and 1930s who translated and ...

. It was named "The Householder's Dharma" which means the conduct of a householder.

Notes

References

* * P. S. Jaini, Reviewed work(s): Jaina Yoga: A Survey of the Mediaeval Śrāvakācāras by R. Williams, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 27, No. 3 (1964) * Jaina yoga: a survey of the mediaeval śrāvakācāras, Volume 1 of Lala Sunder Lal Jain research series, Author R. Williams, Edition 3, Publisher Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1991 * RATNAKARANDA SRAVAKACARA (Sanskrit-Hindi) By Acarya Samantbhadra Translated into Hindi with 2 Appendices by Dr.

Jaykumar Jalaj Dr. Jaykumar Jalaj (born in Lalitpur, U.P. on 2 October 1934) is a prominent figure in Hindi literature. He was educated in and later taught at Allahabad University. He started his career as a lecturer of Hindi in colleges of Madhya Pradesh. ...

Preface by Dr. Paul Dundas Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 3

External links

Text of Ratnakarand Shravakachar Translated by Adimati Mataji

English Translation of Ratnakarand Sravakachara
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ratnakaranda sravakacara Jain texts Sanskrit texts