Page Text
________________ 498 STUDIES IN JAIN LITERATURE Tattvarthadhigamasutra with the commentaries of Samantabhadra, Pujyapada, Akalanka, Vidyananda, etc., and Samantabhadra's Aptamimamsa with the commentaries of Akalanka, Vidyananda, etc., and (4) Carananuyoga, ritual works; Vattakera's Mulacara and Trivarnacara and Samantabhadra's Ratnakarandasravakacara. Both the sects, the svetambaras ("Those clad in white) and the Digambaras ("Sky-clad" or naked") are however unanimous in calling the eleven (or twelve) angas, i.e., "limbs" (of the body of Srutapurusa) the first and most important part of their canon. The eleven angas of the Svetambara canon are the oldest part of the canon. The redaction of the canon took place under Devarddhigani in 980 after the Nirvana of Mahavira (A. D. 454). Before that time the sacred texts were handed down by oral transmission (without being committed to writing). The language of the Canon is a Prakrit which is known as 'Arsa' or Ardhamagadhi. Mahavira himself preached in this language of the masses. The sacred texts are of different origin and age so they differ in character. Some are in prose, some in verse, some in prose and verse. The older prose works are diffuse and repetitive; some contain succinct rules, some contain lengthy descriptions as well as systematic expositions of different dogmatic problems. The most archaic language is to be found in the Acarangasutra, and next to it, in the Sutrakrtangasutra and the Uttaradhyayanasutra. The language of the non-Canonical Jain texts of the Svetambara authors is known as Jain Maharastri and of the Digambara authors as Jain Sauraseni. A large literature of the nature of glosses, expository treatises, commentaries has grown up round the more important texts of the Canon. The earliest commentaries, the Niryuktis, consist of very concise explanations in Arya verses and Jain Maharastri. They served as an aid to the memory of the teachers in their oral interpretation of the sacred texts. In some instances they are very closely interwoven with the sutras or they even supplanted the latter. The Pinda-Niryukti appears in the Canon itself. At a later date these Niryuktis were extended to form exhaustive commentaries in Prakrit (Bhasyas and Curnis). These in their turn formed the foundation for the Sanskrit commentaries (Tikas, Vsttis, Avacurnis) which were compiled between the 8th and 12th centuries A. D. These commentaries serve as a repositary of many ancient, historical or semi-historical traditions and a great mass of popular narrative themes. The Jain monks delighted in adorning their sermons with the telling of stories, in converting worldly stories into legends of saints, in Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 001868 |
| Book Title | Studies in Jain Literature |
| 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 |