Pravachanasara

SR No.: 003289
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram
Publication Year: 1964
Total Pages: 612
Language: Hindi, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 16 MB

Page 58

Introduction
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MULĀCĀRA:1 It is an authoritative work on the conduct of Jaina monks, especially Digambaras. Its Prakrit dialect, contents, Text etc. are very important, and need careful study especially in comparison with Nijjuttis of the Svetāmbara canon. Vasunandi,2 the Sk. commentator, attributes its authorship to Vattakera. I have come across certain South Indian MSS., quite genuine in their appearance, wherein the name of the author is given as Kundakunda; these MSS. contain some additional gāthās. As I am busy in collating and studying Mülācāra-text, I do not want to be dogmatic on this point; let it be an open question at this stage.
TEN-BHAKTIS. 3—Prabhācandra, the author of Kriyākalāpa commentary, says in his commentary on Siddha-bhatti that all the Sanskrit Bhaktis are composed by Pūjyapāda and the Prakrit ones by Kundakundācārya. We are concerned here only with Prakrit Bhaktis. The text of Ten-Bhaktis, as published, is not reliable for critical purposes; MSS. are at variance as to the number of verses in particular Bhaktis. As they are very little known outside Jaina circles, I intend to introduce them to the readers, particularly the Prakrit Bhaktis. These Bhaktis, as they are available in MSS., open with five-fold salutation (pamca-namoyāra), mamgalasutta, loguttamā-sutta, sarana-sutta, sāmāüya-sutta in Prakrit prose.
TITTHAYARA-BHATTI: It has eight gāthās in which salutations are offered to 24 Tirthankaras with the specific mention of their names. Excepting the first verse it is common with Svetāmbaras who generally incorporate it in their Pancapratikramana.5 It is followed by Prakrit prose passages of [p. 27:) pratikramana and älocanā (i.e. confession and report of sins etc. committed).
SIDDHA-BHATTI: There is a good deal of uncertainty about the number of verses. Here we get a discourse on Siddhas (i.e. the liberated souls), the classes of Siddhas, the way in which liberation is attained, the happiness and the abode of Siddhas. It is concluded with an ālocanā prose passage in Prakrit.
SUDA-BHATTI: It contains 11 gāthās and the concluding prose passage. It opens with a salutation to Siddhas. Then are offered salutations to twelve Angas by name; the 12th Anga, Ditthivāda, has five divisions. Then follow the names of 14 Puvvas or Pūrvas, which, according to the commentator, are to be included in the fourth division of Dșstivāda. The remaining verses give further division. This Bhakti is important for the traditional division of early Jaina literature.
CĀRITTA-BHATTI: It contains some 10 verses of Anuştubh metre. It opens with a salutation to Vardhamāna Mahāvīra. The Tirthakara, for the benefit
1 Mülācāra with Vasunandi's Sk. Commentary is published in MDJG vols. 19 & 23;
published with a Hindi translation and an alphabetical index of gāthās in Anantakirti
D. Jaina granthamălă, Bombay 1919. 2 He belonged to circa 12th century A.D. 3 An edition of Ten-bhaktis with the Sk. commentary of Prabhācandra and the Marathi
translation of Pt. Jinadāsa has appeared from Sholapur, 1921; in my remarks on these Bhaktis I have used this edition, and, at times, I have consulted a Kannada MS., called
Kriyākalāpa, from my collection. 4 Samskrtāḥ sarvāh bhaktayah Padapūjyasvāmi-krtāh prākstāstu Kundakundācārya-kstāḥ /
p. 61, Sholapur ed. 5 Compare p. 3 of Pañcapratikramanasütrāni, Bombay 1925.