Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons

SR No.: 001670
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1996
Total Pages: 608
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Science, & Religion
File Size: 9 MB

Page 110

88 : Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons
It could be shown that the seventy two practical arts category involves almost all canonical branches and subjects. It could be easily clasified in current terms and tabulated later. Formerly, the terms Kalā (arts ), Silpa (crafts and technology) and Sāstra ( religion, philosophy and other subjects ) were taken as virtually synonymous. Kautilya, Vātsyāyana, Sukrācārya, Mahābhārata and other sources mentioned sixty four arts while Lalitavistara indicates 84-86 arts including Vedic studies. However, if these are not counted, the number may be roughly 64. Not only this, 64 arts for women are separately mentioned. The first mention of arts as a separate non-sacred category in Jaina texts is in Sthānānga without numeration, though a partial repetition of worldly category is found in later literature. The Sūtrakrtānga's 64 also include many of these arts. The list of seventy two arts is found in at least eight older Jaina texts or their commentaries which is tabulated in Table 7.
As earlier, it is observed that different canons have different listings with many in common and the total number of practical arts are approximately over 140. Secondly, there are many arts whose actual equivalent terms are just under guess. The author has attempted for reasonable equivalence in many cases under discussion here. Table 7 has the following characteristics :
(a) The Sūtrakrtānga list has between 12-19 arts common in many other sources.
(b) Groupings of Arts : Samavāyānga seems to be specific in grouping the following arts under one category and if the different number of arts is added in each category, the total number of arts comes to about 86 -- the number of arts given in Lalitavistara. It has also included many arts ( 124138 ) which are mostly not found in other lişts. 1. Military Science
7 topics ( 103-109 ) 2. Chemistry/Medication 6 topics ( 90, 91, 112, 113,
114, 115 )