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CHAPTER I
HISTORY AND SOURCES
The Period
The development of the Jaina theory of knowledge extends over a long period of 2600 years. The idea of knowledge and its various types can be traced as early as the history of Jainism begins. Not only Mahāvira, but the tradition of his predecessor Pārsvanātha also bears clear marks about the conception of knowledge.
The traces before Mahāvīra
1. The NandIsūtral refers to a list of fourteen pūrvas. It is believed, on certain grounds, that this literature belonged to the tradition before Mahāvīra, as the very name suggests. In the Bhagavat1 sūtra2 the ascetics belonging to the order of Pārsvanātha and others of pre-Mahāvīra order are described as obtaining the knowledge of fourteen pūrvas; while those belonging to the order of Mahāvīra are described as obtaining the knowledge of eleven Angas. This and certain other statements confirm the above view. Out of the fourteen books recognised as Pūrvas the fifth one is Jñānapravāda. The very name suggests that the entire book was devoted to the treatment of knowledge. Jayadhavalās and other works of the latter period describe its contents also; which testify to the same fact. Purva-literature not a myth
It cannot be said that the existence of Pūrva literature is 1. Nandr 56 2. Bhagavatr 11, 11. 182 3. Jayadhavalā vol. I, p. 141
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