Article: Mūla-sūtras

Monastic teacher
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The authorship of the Daśa-vaikālika-sūtra is inscribed within the traditional history of Śvetāmbara lineages of teachers. It is regarded as having been written by Śayyambhava, also known by his Prakrit name of Seyyambhava. He was the pupil of the teacher Prabhava, who was himself the pupil of Jambū the elder. In the traditional dating Śayyambhava became head of the monastic community Mahāvīra founded in the 75th year after Mahāvīra’s nirvāṇa, thus in 452 BCE.

Śayyambhava is said to have written the Daśa-vaikālika-sūtra for his son Maṇaka. The tale of how he came to compose it is told in the commentaries to the work and in narrative books recounting the ‘lives of the Jain elders’. Hemacandra’s version of the 12th century can be viewed as a convenient reference.

The Brahmin Śayyambhava was about to perform an animal sacrifice. The Jain teacher Prabhava sent two monks to convert him, who raised doubts in his mind as to the truth of the Veda. Śayyambhava finally recognised the truth of the Jain doctrine and practices, with non-violence at their centre. He was so convinced that he turned to the life of a Jain monk.

At the time of his decision to become a monk, Śayyambhava’s young wife was pregnant and duly gave birth to his son. As the boy Maṇaka grew up, he enquired about his father. Without his mother’s knowledge, Maṇaka went in search of him.

When he saw the boy for the first time Śayyambhava immediately recognised his son, but talked to him without disclosing his identity. As Maṇaka had said that he would be ordained as a Jain monk if he found his father, Śayyambhava introduced him to the teaching. But through the powers his great spiritual knowledge gave him, Śayyambhava realised that Maṇaka would die in six months’ time.

The great monk Śayyambhava thought, ‘This child’s life will be extremely short. How will he learn the teachings? The last Teacher who knows just ten of the fourteen Original Collections of Teachings is permitted to make an epitome of their doctrine, but for what reason may one who knows all fourteen? The reason has arisen: it’s to enlighten Maṇaka! I’ll prepare a compilation of the topics of the Original Collections of Teachings.’ When the spiritual leader Śayyambhava had finished his compilation of the Teachings, he named it the Ten Evening Chapters. The treatise is called the Ten Evening Chapters because he composed the ten chapters in an evening. Holy Śayyambhava, the excellent Teacher, the leader of the monastic order, most eminent of the compassionate, recited the treatise to Maṇaka.

The Lives of the Jain Elders, Fynes 1998: 122–123

As his father had foreseen, Maṇaka died after six months. In a later life he reached final liberation, which was said to have resulted from his learning this treatise.

Śayyambhava then expressed the wish to conceal this compilation, as he had first intended, but was then convinced by his own pupils not to do so.

The monastic community joyfully requested the religious Teacher, ‘Let this treatise which was prepared for Maṇaka, be of benefit to the whole world. Then beings who have the capacity for enlightenment, even those of little understanding, will perform their religious duty. Let them enjoy the benefits of your kindness, in the same way as Maṇaka. Like homeless bees, may they delight in continually resorting to the Ten Evening Chapters, the flower of the lotus plant of religious teaching’. Thus the monastic congregation prevented the noble religious teacher Śayyambhava from suppressing the Ten Evening Chapters.

The Lives of the Jain Elders, Fynes 1998: 124