Handwritten Text of Buddhisagar Suri. It lists rules to be followed by Jain lay men. Gujarati language script. Samvat 1972 (1915 AD approx.)

Buddhisagarsuri (1874 – 1925) was a Jain ascetic, philosopher and author from British India. Born in a Hindu family, he was influenced by a Jain monk and later was initiated in asceticism, and later elevated to the title of Acharya. He wrote more than a hundred books.[1]

Biography

The Jain temple and a memorial shrine where Buddhisagarsuri was cremated in Vijapur.
Statue of Buddhisagarsuri in a shrine at Dadawadi Jain temple in Mehsana

Buddhisagarsuri was born Bechardas Patel in a Hindu family of Shivabhai and Ambaben in 1874 at Vijapur in north Gujarat. He studied till sixth standard. He met Muni Ravisagar, a Jain monk, and became his disciple. He studied at the Yashovijayji Jain Sanskrit Pathshala, a school for religious studies, in Mehsana. He took a job of religious teacher in Ajol. Following the death of Ravisagar in 1898, his spiritual quest intensified. Ravisagar's disciple, Sukhsagar initiated him as a Jain monk in 1901. He was given a new name, Muni Buddhisagar. He was conferred with an informal title of Yoga-nishtha, literally "firm in Yoga". He was elevated to the title of Acharya in 1914 in Mansa.[2][3][4] He established the Mahudi Jain temple in 1917.[5] He was invited by the royals of Baroda, Idar and Pethapur to preach there. He died at Vijapur in 1925.[2][3][4] The Jain temple and a memorial shrine were built where Buddhisagarsuri was later cremated in Vijapur.

Works

He wrote more than a hundred books.[4][2] He wrote about 2,000 poems, including a large number of poems about Sabarmati River.[4] His first book was Jain Dharma Khristi Dharmano Mukablo, a comparison between Jainism and Christianity. He criticised Christianity and its missionary activities in Gujarat.[2]

He was involved in several debates regarding icon worship during those time. He defended it and authored a booklet Jain Sutroma Murtipuja (Icon Worship in Jain Scriptures). He termed icons as a form of love and devotion.[2]

Selected works

  • Samadhi Shatak, a hundred stanzas on meditation
  • Yog Deepak, the guide on yoga
  • Dhyan Vichar, a book on meditation
  • Adhyatma Shanti, a work on spiritual peace
  • Karmayog, a theory of karma
  • Adhyatma Geeta
  • Atma Shakti Prakash
  • Atma Darshan
  • Shuddhopayog
  • Samya Shatak
  • Shishyopanishad
  • Atmana Shasan
  • Anandghan Pad Bhavarth Sangrah, a collection of hymns of Anandghan, a Jain mystic poet, and its meaning
  • Shrimad Devchandraji, a biography of Devchandra
  • Kumarapala Charitra, a biography of Chaulukya, ruler of Kumarapala
  • Yashovijay Charitra, a biography of Yashovijay
  • Adhyatma Bhajan Sangrah 1–14, a collection of songs

See also

References

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