Jaina Philosophy Historical Outline

SR No.: 006569
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Narendra Nath Bhattacharya
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi
Publication Year: 1976
Total Pages: 242
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

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Jain Philosophy in Historical Outline
sära of Suprabhācāryal are some of the best examples of dohā works in Jain literature. These are, however, late works. The Jain writers also used Apabhramsa in the epic poems mostly dealing with the lives of 63 super-men called Salākā-puruṣas. The earliest of these works are the Harivamśa-purāna and Paümacariu” of Svayambhū which are the Jain versons of the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyana respectively. Puşpadanta's Mahapurāna, Jasahara-cariu and Ņāyakumāra-cariu are classics in the field of Apabhramśa literature.' Of other Apabhramsa works, reference must be made to Kanakamāra's Karakānda cariu, Haribhadra's Nemināha-cariu,5 Dhāhila's Paumasiri-cariu. Padmakīrti's Pāsanātha-cariu, etc.
Some other important Jain works in Prakrit and Sanskrit, composed before the tenth century are Asaga's Vardhamāna-charita, Dhanañjaya's Rāghava-Pānďavīya, or Dvisandhāna, Dharmadāsa's Uvaesamāla6 Jinasena's Pārsvābhyudaya, 7 Kanakasena's Yasodhara-caritra, Maheśvara Sūri's Jñānapañcami-Kathā, Mānatunga's Bhaktāmaras totra, Nandisena's Ajitaśāntistava, etc.
From the tenth century onwards the Jains adopted the epic style for presenting their saints and heroes. In Sanskrit, the Svetāmbara version of Kaņakasena's Yasodhara-caritra was made by Māņikya Sūri (11th century). The best work of this type is Hemacandra's (12th century) Trişașțiśalākāpuruşacarita describing in ten cantos the lives of 63 Jain saints. His Parisistaparvan which deals with the lives of the oldest Jain teachers is a supplement to the above work. He also wrote for lexical works of which the Abhidhāna Cintamani is widely celebrated. The Neminirvāṇā of Vaghbhata, dealing with the life of Neminātha, also belongs to this period. In Sanskrit Kävya literature, the Jain contributions are Odeyadeva Vādibhasimha's Kșatracudāmaņi, Abhayadeva's Jayantavijya, Devaprabha Sūri's Pāndavacaritra, Amaracandra's Bālabhārata, Abhayacandra's Padmānanda, Udaya
1Ed. H.D. Velankar in ABORI, 1928, pp. 272-80. 'Ed. H.C. Bhayani, 1953.
*The first two ed. by P.L. Vaidya (1931, 1937-41) while the third one by H.L. Jain, 1933.
*Ed. H.L. Jain, 1934. "Portion ed. and pub. by Jacobi, 1921. *Ed. by L.P. Tessitori in GSAI, XXV, 1912, pp. 162-292. 'Its Meghadūta portion was translated into english by K.B. Pathak, 1894. 8Ed. with Gr. tr. by Jacobi in IS, XIV, pp. 359ff.