Religion and Culture of the Jains

SR No.: 002009
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jyoti Prasad Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 258
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

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RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
Bheraṭaka-dvātrimsikā, an Indian 'Book of Noodles' is the work of a Jaina author, and the Suka-saptati, the 'Parrot's Tale' or Tutināmā, which has travelled all over the world, is believed to have been Jaina in origin. A Jaina tradition makes Guṇādhya, the author of the Prakrit Bṛhat-katha which is supposed to be the principal source of Sanskrit story literature, also a Jaina.
The second divion, the caran-ānuyoga, covers the entire ethical literature, works dealing with the rules of conduct and discipline for the ascetics and the laity.
Karaṇ-anuyoga, the third division, comprises writings on cosmology and cosmography, the working of the karman, and the intricate mathematical calculations and problems as applied in explaining the different parts and constituents of the universe, their relative positions, numbers and mutual relations.
The last, Dravy-ānuyoga, deals with ontology and philosophy, with the Reality and the real natures of the substances.
As a sort of corollary to this division is the very valuable and voluminous logico-philosophical and dialectical literature of the Jainas, which is primarily intended as an exposition of the Jaina philosophy of anekānta, its nayavāda and syādvāda, and the theory of knowledge. Incidentally, it indulges in a comparative study of the different systems of philosophy and supports the ontological speculations of the Jainas.
What Dr.S.C. Vidyabhushana has described as the Medieval School of Indian Logic, is the logic of the Jainas and the Buddhists. The more important of the Jaina logico-philosophers are Samanta-bhadra, Siddhasena, Mallavädin, Akalanka, Vidyānanda, Haribhadara, Manikyanandin, Prabhācandra, Vādirāja, Devasūri and Yasovijaya, who shone with great brilliance on the firmament of ancient and medieval Indian logic and dialectic philosophy.