Jaina Epistemology

SR No.: 006738
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Indra Chandra Shastri
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1990
Total Pages: 516
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

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Epistemology of Jainas remaining Angas in many respects i. e. size, language and subject matter. Its early extinction also proves the same fact.
Dșstivāda is divided into the following five sections of (1) Parikamma (2) Sutta (3) Puvvagaya (4) Anuyoga (5) Culiya The above order is based on the Nandl.? Akalamka, Hemacandra, Devendra Sūri and Vinaya Vijaya assign third place to Anuyoga and the fourth to Puvvagaya.
The Literature Known as Āgamas
Dvādaśā ogi is not the only literature recognised as the Agamas. There are numerous works in addition to it which are credited with the same amount of authority.
The Nandi provides three definitions of Samyak Śruta and Mithyā Śruta.2 According to the first definition Dvādaśāngi, composed by the omniscient Tirtharkaras, the works composed by the sages possessing the knowledge of fourteen Pūrvas and those composed by the sages possessing knowledge of not less than complete ten Pūrvas are Samyak-Sruta, while those composed by the persons with lesser knowledge, may be samyak-śruta as well as Mithyā.Śruta. The non Jaina works like Bhārata, Rāmāyaṇa etc. are Mithyā Śruta. According to the second definition all scriptural knowledge-Jaina and non-Jaina is samyak śruta if it is possessed by a person with right attitude (samyag dộsti), and the same is Mithyā.Śruta if possessed by a person with wrong attitude (Mithyā-drsti). The third definition ascribes the credit of samyak Sruta to the scriptures possessed by a person with wrong faith also if they persuade him to abandon the wrong faith and embrace the right one. The second or third definitions are not pertinent to our discussion. The first definition fixes a basis for recognising a script as Āgama.
After Dvādaśamgi composed by Gañadharas, we come to the works composed by the saints having a knowledge of four1. Nandi Sūtra 55 2. Ibid 40.41