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हिन्दी ग्रन्थ कार्यालय
१९१२ से धर्म, संस्कृति तथा साहित्य की सेवा में
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The Story of Paesi or Paesi-Kahanayam is a lively dialogue between the monk Kesi and prince Paesi based on the Rayapasenia Agama. Interestingly, the Paesi Kahanayam is the only large legend common to both Jain and Buddhist canonical literature. It is found in the Jain Rayapasenia Agama and in the Buddhist Dighanikaya.
The monk Kesi and the prince Paesi (Sanskrit – Pradeshi) discuss the corporeality of the soul, whether it dies with the body or is distinct from the body. The prince is a materialist and argues in favour of the corporeality of the soul but the monk convinces him that the soul and body are distinct and while the body is corporeal, the soul is eternal. This dialogue is set in the 6th century BCE, the age of reflection on and discussion of the soul. While the present literary form dates some Centuries later, the discussion is still as relevant today, after two millennia.
This edition contains the Prakrit text in Devanagari and Roman transliteration, accompanied by an incisive English translation, exhaustive notes and a glossary.
The arguments in this discussion reflect many ancient Indian realia - birth rituals, diseases, etiquette, ethnic list of female servants, execution of thieves, regicide, the 72 professions, similes, etc. which have been commented upon in the notes.
