Jaina Ethics

SR No.: 001334
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Dayanand Bhargav
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 314
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Principle
File Size: 15 MB

Page 261

244
Jaina Ethics 12th century A.D.1 Siddhasena Sūri wrote a SaṁskȚta commentary, Tattvajñānavikāsini, on it in Vik. Saṁvat 1242.2 Hemacandra and his Yogaśāstra
The knowledge of Hemacandra is so comprehensive that he is styled as Kali-kāla sarvajña. He contributed to almost all : branches of knowledge of his time.
Yogaśāstra or Adhyātmopanişad is the great monumental work ; of Hemacandra on the conduct of a householder and a monk. It consists of about 1000 verses with a Svopajña commentary, which is much more informative than the original. Hemacandra has vast knowledge of Brāhmaṇism also.
The special interest of this work lies in the detailed description of meditation and its attributes, āsana, prāņāyāma, pratyāhāra and dhāraņā. These descriptions are very much influenced by the Jñānārnava of Subhacandra though some of the scholars seem to believe just the reverse.
The personality of Hemacandra assumes a special interest in view of the part he played in the political set-up of Gujarāta through his patron, Kumārapāla. He lived between 1089 and 1172 A.D. He completed his Yogaśāstra in about 1160 A.D.
Taśovijaya
After Hemacandra, many minor works of authors like Devendra, Dharmaghoșa, and Ratnasekhara supply material regarding faina ethics. But the last and the most important of these authors is Yašovijaya, who lived from 1624 to 1688,8 and whose commentary on Dharmasaņgraha is the last authoratative work on Jaina ethics.
Literature of Digambaras
Canonical literature
1. Kasāyaprābhṛta of Gunadhara :
In tenth century A.D., Indranandi in his Śrutāvatāra has
1. Williams, R., Jaina Yoga, p. 1o. 2. Velankar, H.D., (ed.). Jinaratnakośa, p. 271. 3. Winternitz, M., A History of Indian Literature, Vol. II, p. 593.