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 264

Ethical Literature of the Jainas
247 authors is Kundakundācārya. Pravacansāra, Samayasāra, Pañcāstikāya, Niyamasāra and Dvādaśānuprekşā are undisputedly his works. Besides, tradition ascribes to him 84 Pähudas and Prākrta Bhaktis. We have noted that Indranandi has ascribed a commentary on Satkhandāgama to Padmanandi of Kundakundapura, who is identified with Kundakundācārya. Vibudha Sridhara, however, ascribes this commentary to Kundakirti, a disciple of Kundakundācārya. This commentary is not available: and, therefore, nothing definite can be said about it. Another important book, the authorship of which is ascribed to Kundakunda, is Mülācāra with which we shall deal separately. As for the 84 Pāhudas, only eight of them are available to us and six of them have been commented upon by Srutasāgara. Tradition ascribes these Pāhudas to Kundakundācārya.
Ratnasāra is another book of doubtful authorship, ascribed to Kundakunda. Ten Prākrta bhaktis are ascribed to Kundakunda by Prabhācandra in his commentary on Kriyākalāpa. Dr. A.N. Upadhye is of the view that part of these Bhaktis, containing traditional prayers, might have been written by Kundakunda. As for Dvādaśānupreksā, it is quoted by Pūjyapāda in his commentary Sarvārthasiddhi in the 6th century A.D. and according to Dr. A.N. Upadhye there is an appearance of antiquity about the text.?
. As for the date of Kundakunda, the fact that Kundakundānvaya is referred to in a copper plate inscription of Merkara, dated 466 A.D., 3 helps us to fix the lower limit of his time. This inscription also gives the names of six disciples of Kundakunda lineage in succession. If we roughly allow hundred years for these six disciples, and keep in the mind that it takes some time to start the lineage of an ācārya after his death, we can fix the date of Kundakunda in the middle of 3rd century A.D. This is also corroborated by the tradition, which ascribes to him a commentary on Sațakhandāgama, which we have already placed in the 2nd century A.D. Winternitz tells us that
1. Siddhāntasarādisangraha, Śrutāvatāra (Vibudhasridhara), Bombay. Vik.
Sam. 1979, p. 318. 2. Pravacanasara, Bombay, 1935, Introduction, p. XL. 3. Rice Lewis, (ed.), Coorg Inscriptions, Bangalore, 1886, p. 3.
(line 15).
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