Narrating Karma and Rebirth

Vipākaśruta / Vivāga Suyam

Birth stories summarised from:

Amar Muni (ed. in chief), Srichand Surana Saras (ed.) and Surendra Bothara (trans.), Illustrated Nirayavalika & Vipaak Sutra (Delhi: Padma Prakashan, 2003): 204-553.

Duḥkha vipāka

1. Mrigāputra: Prince Mrigāputra is born blind, deaf, dumb, crippled and deformed. Gautama goes to visit him in the cellar in which he is kept. He watches him being fed, vomitting up the food as blood and pus and then re-eating it. Returning to Mahāvīra, Gautama asks about Mrigāputra’s past deeds. Mahāvīra explains that he was previously an evil governor who caused his people a huge amount of suffering before falling ill, dying, and being reborn in the first hell, then as Mrigāputra. In the future he will be reborn as a nasty lion, then in the first hell, then > reptile > second hell > bird > third hell > lion > fourth hell > snake > fifth hell > woman > sixth hell > man > seventh hell > millions of births as aquatic animals, low animals, plants, and earth, air, fire and water-bodied beings > bull swept to his death by a flooded river > merchant who becomes an ascetic > Saudharma heaven > Mahāvideha, where he will attain mokṣa.

2. Ujjhitaka: Gautama sees a young man being tortured by the army at the crossroads, having portions of his flesh cut off. Mahāvīra explains that in the past he was a trapper who used to sneak around mutilating cows and eating their flesh. When he died he went to the second hell then was born as the merchant Ujjhitaka. After his parents died he was thrown out of his house by creditors, and went to live with a courtesan. The king discovered Ujjhitaka with the courtesan when she was supposed to be with him, and so he is being punished. He will be executed, reborn in the first hell, then as a monkey who kills newborn monkeys, then as a castrated son of a courtesan, then in the first hell again, then millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, before finally being reborn as a buffalo, then a merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on as in the case of Mrigāputra.

3. Abhagnasena: Gautama sees a bandit leader being tortured in the street – being forced to watch his relatives being killed in front of him, and being made to drink his own blood. Mahāvīra explains that formerly he was an egg trader, then went to the third hell, before being born as Abhagnasena and becoming chief bandit. Eventually being caught by the king, he will be executed, then reborn in the first hell, then millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then as a boar, then a merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on as in the case of Mrigāputra.

4. Śakaṭa: Gautama sees a man and woman being tortured, the man’s ears and nose having been cut off. Mahāvīra explains that in the past he was a butcher, before being reborn in the fourth hell, then as the son of a merchant, named Śakaṭa. After the death of his parents he was thrown out of the house by creditors, and moved in with a courtesan. He continued to see her even after she was given lodgings by a minister. Being caught, they will both be executed, and reborn in the first hell, then as incestuous butchering twins in a low caste family. Then he will be reborn in the first hell, have millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then as a fish, then a merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on as in the case of Mrigāputra.

5. Bṛhaspatidatta: Gautama sees a man being taken to the gallows. Mahāvīra explains that he was formerly a bad priest who cut out the hearts of boys to use in rituals. After a time in the fifth hell he was reborn as Priest Bṛhaspatidatta, became friends with the king, but was discovered to be sleeping with the queen. After his execution he will go to the first hell, then have millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then will be born as a deer, a merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on.

6. Nandivarddhana: Gautama sees the crown prince of Mathura being made to sit on a red hot throne, being annointed with molten metals and garlanded with red hot garlands. Mahāvīra explains that formerly he was an evil jailer who tortured many people in horrific ways. After a time in the sixth hell he was born as Prince Nandishen, and plotted to murder his father. After his execution he will be reborn in the first hell, then have millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then will be born as a fish, a merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on.

7. Umbaradatta: Gautama sees a man suffering from all sorts of horrific diseases. Mahāvīra explains that formerly he was a doctor who often prescribed meat, as well as enjoying it himself with wine. After a time in the sixth hell he was reborn as the son of a merchant. After his parents died he was turned out of the house by creditors and got horrifically sick. He will be reborn in the first hell, then have millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then will be born as a cockerel, a merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on.

8. Śaurikadatta: Gautama sees a fisherman looking emaciated and skeletal, with a fishbone stuck in his throat, vomitting blood and pus. Mahāvīra explains that in the past he was the king’s cook and cooked much meat (and enjoyed it himself). After a time in the sixth hell he was reborn amongst fishermen, but will meet an unhappy end. He will be reborn in the first hell, then have millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then will be born as a fish killed by fishermen, a merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on.

9. Devadattā: Gautama sees a woman impaled on the gallows. Mahāvīra explains that formerly she had been King Sīhasena. After the other 499 queens plotted against his favourite queen, the king burnt them all to death. He went to the sixth hell, then became Devadattā, who married the crown prince and eventually became queen. She killed her mother-in-law by thrusting a red hot poker up her anus. After her execution she will go to the first hell, then have millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then will be born as a swan killed by bird-catchers, a (male) merchant-turned-ascetic, and so on.

10. Aṃjū: Gautama sees a merchant’s daughter looking emaciated and weak. Mahāvīra explains that formerly she was a courtesan who was dedicated to lechery and seduction. After a time in the sixth hell she was reborn as Aṃjū and married the king. She has been suffering from acute and incurable vaginal pain, which will eventually lead to her death. Then she will go to the first hell, then have millions of births as in the case of Mrigāputra, then will be born as a peacock killed by hunters, a (male) mercant-turned-ascetic, and so on.

Sukha vipāka

1. Subāhu-kumāra: Prince Subāhu has a happy youth and takes on the Jain lay vows. Gautama asks how he has attained such wealth and opulence. Mahāvīra explains that in a former life he was a householder who gave alms to an ascetic. After renouncing and dying through sallekhanā, Subāhu will be reborn in the first heaven (Saudharma) followed by another life as an ascetic, and alternating births thereafter between the human and heavenly realms. Eventually he will attain birth in a wealthy family in Mahāvideha, and attain mokṣa there.

2. Bhadranandi-kumāra: Same as previous, but in a past life he was a prince who gave alms to a jina in Mahāvideha. His future births will be the same as Subāhu.

3. Sujāta-kumāra: Same as story of Subāhu, with different names.

4. Suvāsava-kumāra: Same as story of Subāhu, except that in the past he was a king rather than a householder.

5. Jinadāsa: Same as story of Subāhu, but Jinadāsa is a grandson of the king. In the past he was a king who gave alms to an ascetic.

6. Dhanapati: Same as previous.

7. Mahābala: Same as story of Subāhu.

8. Bhadranandī: Same as story of Subāhu.

9. Mahācandra: Same as story of Subāhu, but was a king in the past rather than a householder.

10. Varadatta: Same as previous, but described in almost as much detail as the story of Subāhu. Details are given of his initiation as an ascetic, his alternation between divine and heavenly realms, and his eventual birth in Mahāvideha. Whilst it is implied that this is the future of all these royal men, the extreme abbreviation means that this is not totally clear in the previous six stories.