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 65

Prākṛta Canons
logical subject not easily intelligible by layman. Fortunately, these do not exist today, though one finds references towards their size and contents in literature as shown in Table 4.
:
There are fourteen Purvas and all but four (1, 2, 11, 14) have their names ending in Pravada ( discussion on specific controversial subjects). This gives us some idea regarding their intellectual and heretic nature. The Jainas wanted to refute their contents. However, Schubring29 goes too far when he says that the most of the Purvas are obscure and speak in favour of their fictitive nature.
texts.
43
The Svetambara and Digambara versions about them are not very different in their descriptions except names of the (11, 12) Pūrvas and size of two (8, 12) Purvas. The variance in names is not so substantial but size differences are large. In case of eighth Purva, there may be a copying mistake. This could be rectified. In case of twelfth, the difference is too largetoo complex to be resolved. Moreover, the size of the Pūrvas is very irregular in comparison to the Argas as shown later. Despite this, there seems to be some difference between the two versions. For example, Table 4 suggests that :
(i) Śvetāmbara version does not have Prābhṛts and Anuyogas in the Purvas.
(ii) In contrast, the Digambaras do not have Cülikās in their details.
(iii) Despite the individual number of Sections (Västus) being different in both versions, the total of them is nearly the
same.
(iv) The contents of Purvas are given only in Digambara
The tabled contents of the Purvas suggest that they did contain the same material as contained in the Angas. They are supposed to be all inclusive. These were taken to be so important (as well as voluminous) that a separate Anga was thought of to include them alone or alongwith other of its