Studies in Jainism

SR No.: 006565
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 182
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 11 MB

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STUDIES IN JAINISM have about 55 types mentioned. These 5 with some variations in their number and names are found in Nemicandra Sūri's Pravacana-sāroddhāra (274th dvāra, v. 1583-85). 16
Umāsvāti does not give such a list; but, after pointing out on p.266 stat faqatat first:" mentions the 5617 antaradvipas, the residents of which come under the category of the Mlecchas.
As this topic is, I believe, sufficiently discussed, I shall now take up another which is more or less a special tenet of Jainism.
Mithyātvin and Samyaktvin
From the Jaina view-point human beings and other animate objects as well are either mithyātvinor samyaktvin, according as they have right or wrong conception about the characteristics of deva, guru and dharma. Mithyātva is of two types: (a) anabhigshita and (b) abhigrhīta. The former is due to ignorance, prejudice or prepossession, while the latter is mainly due to deliberate misunderstanding or perversion of facts. A student of Jainism needs hardly to be reminded of the 363 types 18 of the Abhigshita-mithyātvins, the sumtotal of 180 kinds of the Kriyāvādins, 84 of the Akriyāvādins, 67 of the Ajñānavādins and 32 of the Vinayavādins. 19 The names of the important persons connected with these schools are mentioned by Siddhasena in his commentary to Tattvārtha (VIII, 1). A rough attempt has been made by me to identify them, 20 with a view that some erudite scholar may be inclined to take up this topic for a thorough investigation. . 15. For the Sanskrit names, the reader is referred to G.O.S. No.
LI, pp. 393-394. 16. Praśnavyākarana and Āvaśyakasūtra may be consulted in
this connection; they, too, refer to the anärya desas. 17. According to Sarvärthasiddhi (pp. 130-131) the number is
96. 18. These have been discussed at some length in "Schools and
sects in Jaina literature" (pp. 29-37) by Amulyachandra Sen
M.A., B.L. 19. For sources of information see my introduction to
Tattväthädhigamasutra (pt. II, p. 54). 20. Ibid., pp. 55-63.