Agam 15 Upang 04 Pragnapana Sutra Part 02

SR No.: 001064
Original Sutra Author: Shyamacharya
Author: Punyavijay, Dalsukh Malvania, Amrutlal Bhojak
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay
Publication Year: 1971
Total Pages: 934
Language: Prakrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari, Agam, Canon, Metaphysics, & agam_pragyapana
File Size: 16 MB

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necessary for us to employ the different method for fixing up their chronological order. Only after we have done so, we can utilise the argument based on the nature of treatment.
One thing is certain that the system of exposition through anuyogadvāras which we find in several parts of Saṭkhanḍāgama clearly follows the system of exposition demonstrated in Anuycgadvarasutra. Nothing of the sort is found in Prajñāpanã. This fact indisputably proves Prajñāpanā to be older than Saṭkhanḍāgama. Moreover, as we shall see, Prajñāpanā belongs to the period preceding the commencement of Christian era, whereas Saṭkhanḍāgama belongs to the period which in no case precedes 683 V. N. (= 156 A. D.). So, we can definitely conclude that Prajñāpană is prior to Satkhanḍāgama.
In olden days the subject was investigated through various dvaras (entrances to investigation). Later on a list of 14 jivasthānas, 14 gunasthanas came to be established and the investigation was conducted through them instead of those dvaras. In Prajñāpana we do not find this tradition of conducting the discussion through 14 jivasthānas and 14 gunasthanas. But in Saṭkhanḍāgama this tradition is clearly there. This too proves that Satkhaṇḍāgama is later than Prajñapanã. Thus we can establish in various ways that Prajñāpanā is a work earlier than Satkhanḍāgama.
The Author of Prajñāpanā and His Date
In the original text of Prajñāpană there occurs no reference to its author. But in the beginning, after benedictory verses, there are two gathas which have some connection with this problem. Ac. Haribhadra and Ac. Malayagiri have commented on them. But they consider them to be of the nature of interpolation. These two gathās mention Arya Syama as the author of Prajñāpanasutra. This means that even before the time of Ac. Haribhadra, Prajñāpana was known as a work of Arya Syama.
Ac. Malayagiri uses an epithet Bhagavan' for Arya Syama. The passages in point are as follows: "bhagavan Aryasyamo'pi ittham eva sütram racayati" (Comm. folio 72). "bhagavan AryaSyamaḥ paṭhati" (Ibid, folio 47). " sarveṣām api prāvacanikasūrīṇāṁ matani bhagavan Aryasyama upadiṣṭavān (Ibid, folio 385). "bhagavad-Arya-Syama pratipattau" (Ibid, folio 385).17 This points out his greatness. From these two gathās it becomes clear that Arya Syama belonged to Vacaka lineage (vamsa), and was well versed in Purvaśruta. In the composition of Prajñapanãsūtra
17. All these references have been noted by Pt. Bechardasa ji in his note in Bhagavatisutra, Pt. II, p. 135.