Acharya Sthulabhadra Suri | |
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.jpg) 14th century Ārya Sthūlabhadra idol at the Khaḍākhoṭadī no Pāḍo Jaina Temple (Patan, Gujarat, India) | |
| Preceded by | Acharya Bhadrabahusuri |
| Succeeded by | Acharya Mahagirisuri and Acharya Suhastinsuri |
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| Religious life | |
| Religion | Jainism |
| Sect | Śvetāmbara |
| Religious career | |
| Teacher | Acharya Sambhutavijayasuri |
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Sthulabhadra (297-198 BCE) was a Jain monk who lived during the 3rd or 4th century BC. He was a disciple ofBhadrabahu and Sambhutavijaya. His father was Sakatala, a minister inNanda kingdom before the arrival ofChandragupta Maurya. When his brother became the chief minister of the kingdom, Sthulabhadra became aJain monk and succeededBhadrabahu in thePattavali as per the writings of theKalpa Sūtra.[1] He is mentioned in the 12th-centuryJain textParisistaparvan (appendix to theTrisasti-shalakapurusa-caritra) byHemachandra.[2]
Sthulabhadra was a son of theDhana Nanda's minister Sakatala and brother of Shrikaya.[3][4] He is traditionally dated in 297 to 198 BCE.[3] He loved and lived with a royal dancer in Dhana Nanda's court named Rupkosa.[3][4] He denied ministry after the death of his father and became aJain monk.[5] His brother became the chief minister in Nanda empire later.[6][4] He became a disciple of Sambhutavijaya (347-257 BCE) andBhadrabahu (322-243 BCE).[7][4][8] He led an ascetic life for 12 years.[6]
He spent hischaturmas at Rupkosa's home, during which she tried to lure him away from ascetic life but failed.[6] Sthulabhadra in turn gave her vows of a Shravika (Jain laywoman).[6]
He is said to have learned only 10purvas (pre-canons with meanings) fromBhadrabahu. Although he knew the last 4purvas as well, but since he did not know the meaning associated with them, he is not considered to have been aShrutakevalin.[2] He was succeeded by his disciples Acharya Mahagirisuri and Acharya Suhastinsuri, whom he taught only 10purvas becauseBhadrabahu had imposed a condition upon him that he would not teach the last 4purvas to anyone because he had used the knowledge ofpurvas to display magical powers.[2][6][9] 10th century Digambara texts state that Sthulabhadra permitted the use loincloth during the 12-year famine, a practice that started the Śvetāmbara order, but is considered as baseless according to followers of theŚvetāmbara sect.Avashyak Bhashya, a 5th-centuryŚvetāmbara text written byJinabhadra claims that theŚvetāmbara sect had always existed and that the Digambara sect was created by a rebellious monk namedSivabhuti.[10][11][12]
Śvetāmbaras venerate Acharya Sthulabhadrasuri in the following hymn:[13]
मङ्गलं भगवान् वीरो मङ्गलं गौतमः प्रभुः।मङ्गलं स्थूलभद्राद्या जैनधर्मोऽस्तु मङ्गलम्॥
IAST :
maṅgalaṃ bhagavān vīro maṅgalaṃ gautamaḥ prabhuḥ.maṅgalaṃ sthūlabhadrādyā jainadharmo'stu maṅgalam..
Meaning:
Bhagawän Mahävir is auspicious, Ganadhar Gautam Swämi is auspicious;Ächärya Sthulibhadra is auspicious, Jain religion is auspicious.
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