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

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40 : Scientific Contents in Prākrta Canons
Śrutas are extra-ordinarily merit-promoting compositions.
(ii) Nandi27 has 25 general, perverse worldly or demeritpromoting Srutas in place of 19 in Anuyogadvāra. Of course, 72 arts and four Vedas are additionally common in both cases. Nandi has added seven ( Maths, Patañjala, Puśyadevata, Prognostics, Bhagavata, Scriptology and rule of three or Ajivaka) and substracted one (Science of love and livelihood). Despite different names ( wrong, worldly or demerit-promoting), they should be taken as synonymous on the basis of their contents.
(iii) Nandi is liberal in pointing the view that even the perverse Sruta could be right for the right-faithed and perversefaithed who is encouraged to attain rightness in faith and action through their contents. This point is suggestive of liberal and non-dogmatic attitude of the Jainas in Nandi days when Siddhasena was also heralding the age of logic.
The two categories of right Sruta are still maintained. There is no sub-classification of the primary twelve. But the secondary texts are sub-classified in different ages from Sthānānga to Vidhimārgaprapā (Jinaprabha, 1270-1330 A. D.) and the number of these texts have also got varied. Nandi mentions 60 texts in this category. Currently, it has about 73. In contrast, the Digambaras have only 14 texts in this category (10 common and four specific ). They are given in table 3. The Nandi list seems to be a mixed one when it is compared with the current and systematic classification of later dates ( per chance after fourteenth century A.D.). This has the following six categories : Table 3 : Primary and Secondary Texts of Jainas. [A] Svetāmbara Sect 1. Primary or 11 11 11 Drstivāda being lost out Anga texts
of twelve. 2. Upāngas 12 12 12 They are called so but
there seems to be no
co-relation with Angas. 3. Mūlasūtras -
Texts of indispensable duties/recites.