Chullashatak (चुल्लशतक)

उक्खेवो पंचमस्स अज्झयणस्स । एवं खलु जंबू ! तेणं कालेणं तेणं समएणं आलिभिया णामं णयरी । संखवणे उज्जाणे । जियसत्तू राया । चुल्लसयए गाहावई अट्टे जाव छ हिरण्णकोडीओ णिहाणपउत्ताओ, छ वुड्डिपउत्ताओ, छ पवित्थरपउत्ताओ, छ वया, दस गो-साहसिसएणं वएणं । बहुला भारिया । सामी समोसढे । जहा आणंदो तहा गिहिधम्मं पडिवज्जइ । सेसं जहा कामदेवो जाव धम्म पणत्तिं उवसंपज्जित्तांणं विहरइ ।

Beginning of the fifth chapter. In the city of Aalibhika, in the Shankhavan garden, under King Jiyasattu, lived the householder Chullashatak — wealthy — with six crore gold coins in each of three categories, six types of livestock, and great cattle herds. Bahula was his wife. Lord Mahavira arrived. Just as Ananda accepted the householder dharma, so did he. The rest was the same as Kamadev — up to: living in accordance with the dharma teaching.

The fifth chapter shifts its setting from Varanasi (Chapters 1–4) to Aalibhika — a city in northern India, with the Shankhavan (conch-shell garden) as the assembly ground. This change of location signals a distinct character for this chapter. Chullashatak's wealth is the same as Kamadev's (six crore each). His wife Bahula (meaning abundant) will play the same spiritual guide role as Dhanya (Ch4) and Bhadra Sarthavahi (Ch3). The introduction is compressed to minimum using double abbreviation.

Simply Put: In the city of Aalibhika lived Chullashatak, a wealthy householder with his wife Bahula. When Lord Mahavira came, he accepted the teaching and took all the vows of a devoted lay follower.

तए णं तस्स चुल्लसयगस्स समणोवासयस्स अंतिए पुव्व-रत्तावरतकाल-समयंसि एगे देवे पाउब्भूए जाव असिं गहाय एवं वयासी– हं भो चुल्लसयगा समणोवासया! जाव ण भंजेसि तो ते अज्ज जेट्ठुं पुत्तं साओ गिहाओ णीणेमि । एवं जहा चुलणीपिय, णवरं एक्केक्के सत्त मंससोल्लया जाव कणीयसं जाव आयंचामि । तए णं से चुल्लसयए समणोवासए जाव विहरइ ।

Then at the early night period, a celestial being appeared with a sword and threatened: if Chullashatak would not break his vows, it would bring his eldest son from the house — and the same as Chunilipita's account, except now seven pieces of flesh for each son — up to the youngest — and smeared his body. The lay follower Chullashatak continued to abide accordingly.

The three sons are killed following Chapter 3's pattern, but with the escalation to seven pieces per son (three in Ch3, five in Ch4, seven in Ch5 — an odd-number sequence of increasing severity). The sutra compresses everything through 'just as Chunilipita, except seven pieces.' By now in the Upasakdashang, the pattern of ordeal-and-equanimity is so well established that the full description is unnecessary. The text trusts its audience to fill in the details. Chullashatak remains fearless through all three sons' deaths.

Simply Put: A celestial being appeared and killed each of Chullashatak's three sons — this time cutting each into seven pieces (more than any previous chapter) — and smeared his body with their remains. Each time, Chullashatak remained fearless and steady.

तए णं से देवे चुल्लसयगं समणोवासयं चउत्थं पि एवं वयासी– हं भो चुल्लसयगा समणोवासया ! जाव ण भंजेसि तो ते अज्ज जाओ इमाओ छ हिरण्णकोडीओ णिहाणपउत्ताओ, छ वुड्डिपउत्ताओ, छ पवित्थरपउत्ताओ, ताओ साओ गिहाओ णीणिमि, णीणेत्ता आलिभियाए णयरीए सिंघाडय-तिय-चउक्क-चच्चर-चडुम्हु-महापहपरेसु सव्वेसा समंता विप्पहिरामि, जहा णं तुमं अट्टु-दुट्टु-वसट्टे अकाले चेव जीविआओ ववरोविज्जसि ।

Then for the fourth time the deva threatened: if Chullashatak still would not break his vows, it would take all his wealth — the six crore in deposits, six crore in revenue, six crore in trade goods — from his house and scatter them at every triangular crossroads, every four-way junction, every main intersection, and all the major roads throughout the entire city of Aalibhika — so that Chullashatak, tormented by extreme distress, would depart from life before his time.

Chapter 5's unique contribution is this threat to scatter wealth at the city's crossroads — testing attachment to material possessions. Where previous chapters targeted sons, the mother, and the body, this fourth threat attacks the practitioner's financial foundation. The enumeration of where the wealth will be scattered is detailed and systematic: every triangular crossroads, every four-way junction, every market intersection, every major road and side road. The image is of total public humiliation: an entire fortune thrown about at every corner for anyone to take or trample. In ancient Indian society, wealth was not merely comfort — it was identity, social honor, and the basis of one's ability to perform religious duties.

Simply Put: The deva's fourth and most novel threat: if Chullashatak still would not break, it would take all of his 18 crore gold coins and scatter them at every crossroads and road throughout Aalibhika — publicly destroying his entire fortune.

तए णं से चुल्लसयए समणोवासए तेणं देवेणं एवं वुत्ते समाणे अभीए जाव विहरइ । तए णं से देवे चुल्लसयगं समणोवासयं अभीयं जाव पासइ, पासित्ता दोच्चंपि तच्चंपि तहेव भणइ जाव ववरोविज्जसि ।

Then the lay follower Chullashatak, having been thus addressed, remained fearless — and continued in his practice. The celestial being, seeing him fearless, addressed him a second and third time with the same words — up to: you will depart from life.

Chullashatak's response to the threat of total wealth destruction is the same as to all previous threats: fearless, continuing in practice. For a Jain practitioner who has truly understood non-possessiveness (aparigraha) — one of the fundamental lay vows — the loss of wealth is already, in principle, accepted. The vow of aparigraha involves deliberately limiting possessions and cultivating detachment from what one does hold. A mind already practicing non-attachment to wealth cannot be destabilized by its loss. The deva repeats the wealth-scatter threat two more times and receives the same unbroken equanimity.

Simply Put: Chullashatak remained completely fearless even at the threat of losing all his wealth. The deva repeated the threat two more times — and still Chullashatak remained steady in his practice.

तए णं तस्स चुल्लसयगस्स समणोवासयस्स तेणं देवेणं दोच्चंपि तच्चंपि एवं वुत्तस्स समाणस्स इमेयारूवे अज्झिथए जाव समुप्पणे– अहो णं इमे पुरिसे अणारिए जहा चुलणीपिया तहा चिंतेइ जाव आयंचइ, जाओ वि य णं इमाओ ममं छ हिरण्णकोडीओ णिहाणपउत्ताओ, छ वुड्डिपउत्ताओ, छ पवित्थरपउत्ताओ, ताओ वि य णं इच्छइ ममं साओ गिहाओ णीणेत्ता आलिभियाए णयरीए सिंघाडग जाव विप्पहिरित्ते, तं सेयं खलु ममं एयं पुरिसं गिण्हित्तए सि कट्टु उद्दाइए, जहा सुरादेवो । तहेव भारिया पुच्छइ, तहेव कहेइ ।

Then, having been addressed a second and third time, this thought arose in Chullashatak's mind: this being is ignoble — just as Chunilipita thought — who killed my sons and smeared me — and who also desires to scatter my 18 crore gold coins at the crossroads of Aalibhika. It is best to seize this person. He leapt up — just as Suradeva did. His wife Bahula questioned him in the same way, and he told her in the same way.

The same pattern completes once more. When the wealth-scatter threat is repeated, the same thought of recognition arises — explicitly framed now as 'just as Chunilipita thought.' The three middle chapters form a deliberate trilogy. The text compresses the entire resolution: wife questions, husband tells, wife instructs — in the abbreviated phrase 'his wife questioned him in the same way, and he told her in the same way.' The compression itself reflects mastery: by Chapter 5, the pattern is fully established and needs no elaboration.

Simply Put: When the wealth-scatter threat was repeated, the same thought arose in Chullashatak — he leapt up, the deva escaped. His wife Bahula came, asked what happened, and he told her everything.

सेसं जहा चुलणीपियस्स जाव सोहम्मे कप्पे अरुणसिद्धे विमाणे उवण्णे । चत्तारि पलिओवमाइं ठिई । से णं भंते ! चुल्लसयए ताओ देवलोगाओ आउक्खएणं, भवक्खएणं, ठिइक्खएणं अणंतरं चयं चइता कहिं गमिहिइ ? कहिं उववज्जिहइ ? गोयमा ! महाविदेहे वासे सिज्झिहइ । णिक्खेवो जहा पढमस्स ।

The rest was the same as Chunilipita's — up to: born in the Saudharma heaven, in the Arunsiddha celestial vehicle. Lifespan of four paliopamas. Gautama Swami asked: O Venerable One! Chullashatak, having exhausted his lifespan and allotted time in the heavenly realm — where will he go next? Where will he be reborn? O Gautama! In the Mahavideha realm he will attain liberation. The conclusion is the same as the first chapter.

Chapter 5 concludes with Bahula's guidance leading Chullashatak to atonement, twenty years of dedicated practice, all eleven pratimas, sallekhana, and equanimous departure. He is born in the Arunsiddha (dawn of perfection) celestial vehicle in Saudharma heaven — a unique name among the chapters, all sharing the Aruna (dawn-red) element. The Gautama-Mahavira dialogue appears explicitly: Gautama asks where Chullashatak goes after his heavenly life, and Mahavira's answer is liberation in Mahavideha. The Gujarati commentary concludes: attachment to wealth may be the most universal obstacle to liberation for householders. Chullashatak's story shows it can be overcome.

Simply Put: After the ordeal, Chullashatak performed atonement, practiced for twenty years, completed all eleven stages of lay practice, and underwent the final voluntary fast. He was reborn in the Saudharma heaven and will ultimately attain complete liberation in the Mahavideha realm.