Jain Studies and Science

SR No.: 006923
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Mahaveer Raj Gelada
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati
Publication Year: 2007
Total Pages: 272
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 6 MB

Page 54

50 / JAIN STUDIES AND SCIENCE
Shadjeev Nikaya, Lok-Alokvad, Panchastikaya, Parmanuvad, Tamaskaya and Krishnaraji are the novel ideas which are testimony to an entirely independent identity of the Jain philosophy. While establishing the originality of Jain philosophy, Mahapragya has quoted from Acharya Siddhsen:
"My Lord, I do not need to provide much evidence to prove Your omniscience. Shadjeev Nikayavad, expounded by You,
Is the strongest evidence of Your omniscience.”
2. Chronology of Jain Scriptures
Some foreign scholars, particularly Germans, believed that first Shrutskandha of Acharang. scripture is the oldest composition from the point of view of language and style. Mahapragya has considered the Jain literature in its totality without dividing it in the periods of composition. According to him, Agams were composed in written form by various groups of Acharyas all of whom had the same base – the knowledge contained in 'Purvas'. In fact the 'Purvas' were the soft copies of Jain philosophy which remained stored in the supreme computer – human brain. The hard copies in the form of Agams were composed almost after a thousand years. Before writing down the vast ocean of Jain knowledge, a large group of Jain Acharyas held several meetings and concluded to distribute various subjects to different groups. This scheme resulted in faster implementation, as the work on different subjects was carried out simultaneously. Since the basic material available with all the groups was same, the 'Purvas', therefore some repeatability was inevitable. Mahapragya considers Acharang to be the first work from the point of view of this plan of action. However, he renders the actual chronology as redundant because the entire picture emerges only when all the constituents of jigsaw puzzle were placed together. With this exposition, confusions and controversies were put to rest which had originated on account of different subjects being taken up in different scriptures. According to this scheme, a particular subject was taken up in detail in one scripture, whereas, treated symbolically in another scripture. Commenting in this context, Mahapragya has enumerated various subjects being dealt with in the Dwaadshangi (Twelve organs) of Samvayang and Nandi scriptures:
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In Acharang, as the name suggests, life-style, precepts-mannerisms, education-language, etc. of a saint are described in detail. Other subjects find just a mention.