Studies in Jain Literature

SR No.: 001868
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 114
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Story
File Size: 14 MB

Page 149

PANCASUTRA : A STUDY (i) The Author of Pancasutraka and his Date It is very striking and noteworthy that the oldest palm-leaf MSS of the text as well as all the MSS of Acarya Haribhadra's commentary make no mention whatsoever of the author of this text. The two paper MSS (C and D) however refer to its authorship thus : "Krtam cirantanacaryaih" (i. e., it is composed by ancient acaryas). The suggestion in some quarters that it is composed by an acarya with the name Cirantana does not deserve serious notice or attention. In his Introduction to the text Prof. A. N. Upadhye observes : "It is not possible to talk of individual authorship with regard to works like Pancasutra. The basic contents of this book are as old as Jainism. They are a literary heirloom preserved in the memory of Jain monks"? Professor K. V. Abhyankar cautiously remarks :"....the Pancasutra... is a small elegant treatise written by some old writer whose name has still remained unknown."3 Muniraj Shri Shilacandravijayaji is almost positive in believing that Acarya Haribhadra himself, must be the author of Pancasutraka4. Munishri Jambuvijayaji finds this view interesting but for lack of evidence does not support its. "The language of the post-canonical Jain works is partly Prakrit--the socalled Jaina Maharasti--and partly Sanskrit"6. The language of the known Prakrit works of Haribhadra is Jaina Maharastri whereas the present work is written in Ardhamagadhi prose; and this prose shares quite a few peculiarities of the diction and style of the canonical works. This fact suggests that Acarya Haribhadra was possibly not its author. It is not unlikely that the author of Pancasutra regarded the contents of the text as the property of the entire Jain Samgha and preferred to remain anonymous. It is also suggestive of its early date of composition. How early it is difficult to say. Since Haribhadra does not know who its author was we may not be far wrong in saying that it was composed about a century or so before Acarya Haribhadra flourished.