Browsing: Kalpa-sūtra and Kālakācārya-kathā (I.O. San. 3177)

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Kalpa-sūtra of Bhadrabāhu - Gallica Bibliothèque numérique

This manuscript of the Kalpa-sūtra is fully digitised on the Gallica Bibliothèque numérique website, part of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (National Library of France) in Paris. Though the website is available in English, the information about the artefact is in French.

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6000521k/f1

Prince Kālaka's parents

The first page of a manuscript of the Śvetāmbara Kālakācārya-katha shows King Vajrasiṃha and Queen Surasundarī of Dharāvāsa in conversation. Held in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the 14th-century folio is from Gujarat and relates the tale of ‘the religious teacher Kālaka'. This legend describes how Prince Kālaka is inspired to become a monk and goes through various adventures in which his religious practice gives him magical powers.

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/96046.html?mulR=32227|8

A Jina renounces

This highly decorated page from a 15th-century manuscript of the Kalpa-sūtra is provided by the National Gallery of Australia. A young man performs the rite of keśa-loca – ‘pulling out of the hair’ – which indicates indifference to the body. It is part of the initiation ceremony of dīkṣā, in which an initiate renounces the world and becomes a mendicant. He is watched by Śakra, king of the gods who takes an active role in the lives of the 24 Jinas.

http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail-LRG.cfm?IRN=177852&View=LRG

Nemi decides to renounce

This illustrated page from a 15th-century manuscript of the Kalpa-sūtra is provided by the National Gallery of Australia. At the beginning of the section dealing with the 22nd Jina, Ariṣṭanemi, also called Nemi, the painting shows the famous episode of Prince Nemi's decision to renounce worldly life just before his wedding. He is so appalled by the distress of the animals due to be killed for his wedding feast that he decides to become a monk.

http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail-LRG.cfm?View=LRG&IRN=147981&PICTAUS=TRUE

Pārśva meditating

The National Gallery of Australia offers an elaborately illustrated page from a 15th-century manuscript of the Kalpa-sūtra. The 23rd Jina Pārśva sits in the lotus posture of meditation. He is easily identifiable from his seven-headed snake headdress.

http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail-LRG.cfm?IRN=177853&View=LRG

Kālaka and Śakra

The Śvetāmbara monk Kālaka and the king of the gods, Śakra, discuss Jain doctrine. The National Gallery of Australia provides this highly decorated page from a 15th-century manuscript of the Kālakācāryakathā.

http://artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail-LRG.cfm?IRN=3131&View=LRG

Hariṇaigameṣin transfers the embryo

This rare palm-leaf page in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art comes from an early 14th-century manuscript of the Śvetāmbara scripture of the Kalpa-sūtra. The picture illustrates the episode where the antelope-headed god Hariṇaigameṣin transfers the embryo of the Jina-to-be Mahāvīra from the brahmin lady Devānandā to the kṣatriya queen Triśalā.

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/131608.html?mulR=656|4

Mahāvīra renounces

This illustration is from a page of the Śvetāmbara scripture of the Kalpa-sūtra in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It shows the last Jina, Mahāvīra, performing the rite of keśa-loca – ‘pulling out of the hair’ – which indicates indifference to the body. It is part of the initiation ceremony of dīkṣā, in which an initiate renounces the world and becomes a mendicant. He is watched by Śakra, king of the gods, who takes an active role in the lives of the 24 Jinas.

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/105108.html?mulR=656|9

Kālakācārya-katha folio

The richly decorated page of a manuscript of the Śvetāmbara Kālakācārya-katha contains the text of the story of ‘the religious teacher Kālaka'. Although it does not have a conventional illustration, the lavishly coloured page boasts figures in the side margins, floral borders and silver writing. Held in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the 14th-century folio is from Gujarat. The whole tale relates how Prince Kālaka is inspired to become a monk and goes through various adventures in which his religious practice gives him magical powers.

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/96057.html?mulR=32227|10