The Jain Prakrit Origin of the Vetāla

Wright, J. Clifford

Abstract

In the absence of any other plausible etymology, there is thus reason to believe that the Vaitālīya metre takes its name from the subject-matter of its most important attestation in Jain literature, i.e., the destruction (vidāraṇa) of Karma. It is precisely in Jain Prakrit that we find, coupled with vestiges of Magadhi -l- for -r-, an orthographic -t- replacing -d- and the other lost intervocalic stop consonants. Appropriately, the early canonical text Uttarajjhāyā 20, v. 44, presents the veyāla as a purely destructive demon, murderous if not exorcised (avipanna).

Citation

Wright, J. C. (2017). The Jain Prakrit Origin of the Vetāla. Jaina studies, 12, 34-35

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 31, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Mar 4, 2017
• Publication Date: Mar 17, 2017
• Deposit Date: Apr 3, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 3, 2017
• Print ISSN: 2059-4151
• Electronic ISSN: 2059-416X
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Pages: 34-35
• Keywords: Origin of Vaitālīya metre, Name of the Vaitālīya metre, Jaina Prakrit
• Publisher URL: https://www.soas.ac.uk/jainastudies/newsletter/file119532.pdf