History of Rastrakutas of Malkhed and Jainism

SR No.: 006719
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 374
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 179

118 / The Rāstrakūtas and Jainism
great famine of twelve long years in the mid 4th cent. B. C. The Jaina community, both mendicant and lay votaries, scattered to distant places of safety. During the migration of monks and nuns to south and other parts, Nirgranthism suffered a major set back and loss of its traditionally well preserved texts. A close contact of the ācāryas, the leaders of the mendicant community, who possessed a sound knowledge of the basic texts and who had an easy access to the-source material, became difficult. This created a void, a wide gap of communication and subsequent isolation from the main stalk. The patriarchate who survived the calamity felt the necessity of resurrection in the slackened Jaina order and immediately swung into action, convened the synods at regular intervals and that was the period of redaction.
5.3.3.1. It was under these circumstances, that a large bulk of the friars and nuns entered Karņāțaka, where Jainism had already footed firmly with its followers. Jainism did not spread in a continous process, but in a series of waves of migrations to different regions in India. In this spread, it could get royal as well as popular support which had beneficial as well as adverse effects on its organisation and monastic life (DEO, S. B.: 1956 : 577). At this juncture the Digambara apostle Dharasēna transmitted (c. 156 B. C.) to his two disciples Puspadanta and Bhūtabali (C. 500 A. D.) who compiled Satkhanda-āgama, scriputre in six parts [Jivathāna, Khudda-bandha, bandha svāmitva-vicaya, vēdana, vargana and mahā-bandha). Guņadhara alias Guņabhadra-I, compiled, kasāya-pāhuda (Sk. kaşāyaprābhịta) olim Pejja-dosa-pāhuda (Sk. preyas dvēşaprābhịta 'Love and Malice') dealing with the theories of bondage of the soul. Of course, the topics of these two āgama works are comprehensive mostly to the advanced scholars and mendicants.
5.3.3.2. Pontiff svāmi Virasena (A. D. 816) of Pañca