The painting is divided into two parts of unequal size.
In the lower panel, six men stand in a row. Two of them wear the same white garment. Three wear a red garment, and one a green one. These characteristics do not seem to be significant. What is relevant is the number – six. Combined with the scene in the upper panel, this indicates that they represent the various colours of the Soulsoul – the leśyās.
Cosmological manuscripts clearly differentiate the men from their body complexions, in accordance with the traditional gradation. However, Uttarādhyayana-sūtra manuscripts do not always emphasise this.
This illustrates the parable of the tree. Emphasis is put on the action each man performs but the colour that goes with it is not shown literally.
The man at the bottom left is shown picking up the fruit that are falling from the tree.
The man at the bottom right seems about to cut the tree at its root, destroying it completely.
Of the four other men, one is climbing the tree while the three others seem to have climbed it already. One of the climbers is trying to pick bunches of fruit and the other two reach towards the branches or the boughs.
This is a standard depiction of the parable of the tree, meant to illustrate the six colours of the soul – leśyā. Souls take on a different colour depending on one’s behaviour. This is a complex Jain concept narrowly connected to the doctrine of karma. This parable and illustration are the most common way of visualising the concept. The different attitudes one can have when facing an identical situation demonstrate the soul’s colour.
In this parable, the six men are said to be in a jungle, thirsty and hungry, when they come across the fruit-laden jambū tree. They do different things to get the tree’s fruit.
In some illustrations of this parable each of the men is clearly associated with a particular colour. In some paintings of the parable, however, the overall meaning is more important than the details. In this painting it is rather difficult to precisely identify each action with each colour. Attempts made in this direction, such as those by Norman Brown on page 48 (1941) are not clearly successful.
In this case only two men can be identified as representing specific colours. The man on the bottom left has the best attitude because he rejects violence. He represents the colour white. The man holding the axe demonstrates the worst attitude because he embraces violence. He represents black.
In the lower-right corner of the page, 113 is the folio number.
The middle portion of the text facing the image contains verses at the end of chapter 33 of the Uttarādhyayana-sūtra. The chapter title is given at the end, as usual, in red ink: Karma-prakṛty-adhyayanaṃ – ‘Chapter on the categories of karma’. Here is the part covering the end of verse 19 up to verse 25. Verse numbers appear at the end of each stanza, here after a double vertical line. The language of this portion of the page is Ardhamāgadhī Prakrit.
Then starts chapter 34 on leśyās, of which the very beginning can be read on the last line: les’ajjhayaṇaṃ pavakkhā[mi] – ‘I will now expose the chapter on the colours of the soul’.
On the final line of the main text is a sequence of letters in red ink. The character //§O// is an auspicious sign used to signal the beginning, of a work or a chapter.
Above and below this central portion, in smaller script, is a Sanskrit commentary. This type of manuscript, which is divided into three parts, is called tri-pāṭha. This page contains the commentary on chapter 33. On the last line, after the blank space, the commentary on chapter 34 starts.
The Uttarādhyayana-sūtra is a scripture in the Śvetāmbara canon. It belongs to the class known as Mūla-sūtras, which include the most basic texts new mendicants learn at the beginning of their monastic education. It consists of didactic chapters, stories or parables and ascetic poetry teaching the fundamentals of Jainism. For instance, it opens with a chapter on the rules of respect and politeness that all monks have to observe, especially junior ones. It ends with an extensive chapter describing the rich world of living beings according to the Jain conception.
The Uttarādhyayana-sūtra is one of the most frequently illustrated texts.
A definition of the concept of karmic stain or soul colour – leśyā – on the HereNow4U website.
The HereNow4U website provides a glossary entry for the doctrine of karmic stain or soul colour – leśyā.
The concept of leśyā, a fundamental part of the doctrine of karma, is defined in Wikipedia.
Jinalaya.com provides a detailed explanation of the complex doctrine of karma in the Jain faith, including the related notions of passions – kaṣāyas – and 'karmic stain' – leśyā – which indicates a soul's spiritual condition.
Jain Square recounts the well-known parable of the tree, which shows how actions indicate the colour of the soul – leśyā. This karmic stain or soul colour reflects the soul's spiritual condition.
http://jainsquare.com/2011/06/27/six-friends-and-mango-tree-illustration-lesya/
Jain Square offers the story of King Shrenik, who hears an illustration of the concept of karmic stain or soul colour – leśyā – from the 24th Jina. Mahāvīra explains how the colour of the embodied soul changes according to its mental and spiritual condition. This affects the progress of the soul through the cycle of rebirth.
http://jainsquare.com/2011/06/27/king-shrenik-illustration-lesya/
HereNow4U provides an extract from Transmutation Of Personality Through Preksha Meditation that discusses the categories of leśyā or soul colour. The extract takes the form of an interview with Ācārya Tulsi, the eighth leader of the Śvetāmbara Terāpanthin sect. Although he uses scripture to explain leśyās, Ācārya Tulsi considers the concept partly in the context of the 'insight meditation' – prekṣā dhyāna – of the Śvetāmbara Terāpanthins, which may also be practised by those who do not follow this sect.
HereNow4U provides an extract from Transmutation Of Personality Through Preksha Meditation that discusses the material nature of the concept of leśyā or soul colour. The excerpt takes the form of an interview with Ācārya Tulsi, the eighth leader of the Śvetāmbara Terāpanthin sect. Although he uses scripture to explain leśyās, Ācārya Tulsi considers the concept partly in the context of the 'insight meditation' – prekṣā dhyāna – of the Śvetāmbara Terāpanthins, which may also be practised by those who do not follow this sect.
HereNow4U provides an excerpt from Transmutation Of Personality Through Preksha Meditation that briefly discusses the qualities of leśyā or soul colour. The excerpt takes the form of an interview with Ācārya Tulsi, the eighth leader of the Śvetāmbara Terāpanthin sect. Although he uses scripture to explain leśyās, Ācārya Tulsi considers the concept partly in the context of the 'insight meditation' – prekṣā dhyāna – of the Śvetāmbara Terāpanthins, which may also be practised by those who do not follow this sect.
British Library. Or. 13476. Unknown author. 1537
Bodleian Library. Prakrit c.1. Unknown author. 1465 CE
Victoria and Albert Museum. IS 2-1972. Unknown author. Circa 1450
British Library. Or. 2116 ms. C. Śrīcandra. Perhaps 16th century
British Library. Or. 13454. Śrīcandra. 1644
With commentary by Dharmameru. British Library. Or. 13456. Śrīcandra. 1812