Nandanvana

SR No.: 006597
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 592
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 25 MB

Page 215

Mathematical Expositions of Vīrasena in Dhavala Commentary:
(195) visited India between 500-1000 AD to learn and exchange knowledge in various fields including mathematics.
His family details are not available. However, the panegyric in one text and other later saint scholars state that he belonged to the Pañcastūpa lineage of monks with Elācārya as his teacher and Aryanandi as his initiator. He had been a genius scholar of his age enriched with wisdom and proficient in almost all subjects involving religion, philosophy, linguistics, poetics, mathematics, astrology and cosmology etc. as is evident from his commentary named Dhavalā after his patron king. He has composed only the above commentary with amazing all-round scholarship. His area of studies and composition was current Cittor (Rajasthan) and Varoda (Gujrat) Jaina temples probably under Rāṣtrakūtas. He must have seen earlier commentaries on SK specially that of Vappadeva's Vyakhyā-prajñapti (fifth-sixth century CE) where he felt some deficiencies, which encouraged him to compose Dhavala commentary in greater detail. He followed Siddhasena of 5-6th century CE on two points: (1) Physical subjects should be treated intellectually and (2) superworldly subjects through scriptures, which are authentic and not subject to logic like the nature of objects. However, he has encouraged the readers to be logic-oriented as far as possible. His disciples like Jinasena have attested his intelligence and eloquence. Importance of Mathematics in Jainology
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Lord Rṣabha taught two kinds of learnings to his two daughters: (1) the science of letters and (2) the science of numbers. In accordance with this, the Jaina scriptures have mentioned the monks and saints to be proficient in four-fold numeration (counting, measuring, weighing and partitioning)10, mathematics, medicine and other learnings. Mathematics also forms one of the learnings for men and women. This dictum has been followed by Virasena stating that it is essential for knowing numeration of realities. It is the crest of all learnings giving credibility in worldly ways, religiosity and intensifying the meditational concentration for spiritual upliftment. It has been given the status of an independent exposition (cosmological and mathematical sciences, Karaṇānuyoga) for technical writings first century onwards. Though, one does not find early independent texts on this exposition among the Jainas, but their religious literatures