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 59

Prākṛta Canons : 37
of Jaina Śruta took place sufficiently later when the Jainas had to face challenges from Vedic, Buddhists and other existing philosophers. Their elder scholars of the day organised the oral tradition in texts by authentication from the Jina's in contrast with the divine Vedas and other older philosophies. That is why the classification excels numerically in all text classes. This could be assumed to have taken place in about 350 to 200 B.C., i.e. sufficiently later than Mahavira. And since then, despite many later classifications, the two prong classifications persist. This leads us to infer Acārānga 1, Sūtrakṛtānga and some Bhagavati portions (possibly 1-20) to be older than the age of classification.
Currently the basic and major part of Jaina canon is called twelve member teacher-basket-Dvādaśānga Gaṇipiṭaka in consonance with Buddha's Tripitakas. However, the term 'Anga' is current today which could be in consonance with six Vedāngas ( auxiliary to Vedas) and nine or twelve Buddhists Angas (sermons and narratives in different styles). Contrastingly, the Angas of Jainas are the main, not auxiliary and they form a composite unit. Traditionally, they were collected out of memory and classified during the first council of Pataliputra during Bhadrabāhu-1 time (376-335 B. C.) after an acute 12-year famine. This compilation seems sufficiently later (about 160 years after the salvation of Mahāvira) in comparison to Buddhas who compiled their canons barely 49 days after his death. The nonIndian religions have a three day compilation period. However, Sūtrakṛtānga and Bhagavati mention them under the extent learnings of the day23. Thus, the Vedas and Buddhists canons seem to have better antiquity with reference to composition and linguistics.
Though Sthänänga mentions 'purvagata' (Pūrva) as the synonym of Drṣtivada, it seems that this was the first traditional canonical collection which Mahāvira might have inherited. Looking to its voluminous doctrinal contents and historical importance, the Pūrvas were taken to be the separate class by