History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

SR No.: 006541
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hiralal R Kapadia, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2010
Total Pages: 322
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Agam, Canon, & History
File Size: 17 MB

Page 61

44
THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
Jiyakappa this Jiyakappa represents the essence of Kappa, Vavahāra and Nisīha.
Whatever may have been the number of the Cheyasuttas in the beginning it appears that at least one work of this type must have been composed during the life-time of a Ganadhara;' for, a work dealing with exceptions to the general rules for asceticism can have its origin almost side by side with the work embodying the general code. Even then if we were to assume for the time being that such a work owes its existence to a degenerated state of affairs that may have prevailed in the Jaina clergy after the nirvana of Lord Mahāvīra, it is in no way later than the date for Avassayanijjutti
As recorded in the Mahānisīha available at present it is so to say a patch-work; for, several Sūris had a hand in giving it a final shape, since the Ms. of this work was awfully worm-eaten.2
It seems rather strange that even in Viyārasāra where a list of 45 Suttas (together with Pañcakappa, Jiyakappa, Pindanijjutti, Ohanijutti, Nijjuttis, Bhāsas and Cunnis) is given, there is no mention whatsoever of Mahānisīha. Furthermore, here there is not a single work spoken of as a Cheyasutta, though the following works well-known as Cheyasuttas are noted as under:
arvu p4 FLITE PE GAMLET pleaaert" Can we hereby infer that the order and the number of the Cheyasuttas were not fixed for a pretty long time ?
We may end this topic by noting one more point. Is Mahākappasuya which is mentioned in the Āvassayanijjutti (v. 777) a Cheyasutta ? If So, why is it not mentioned along with other Cheyasuttas such as Kappa? etc. ? Besides, does not this very verse lead us to believe that at least two to three Cheyasuttas existed prior to the composition of Avassayanijjutti ?
1. Can we infer from fn. 7 of p. 39 that Nisiha is the oldest ?
Nisīha is extracted from Paccakhāņa, the 9th Puvva. See Ayaranijjutti (v. 291) 2. See DCGCM. (Vol. XVII, pt. II, pp. 32-33) 3. This cannot be identified with Mahākappasuya; for, the latter is ukkaliya, whereas
the former kāliya. Vide p. 26, fn. 3.