Essence of Jainism

SR No.: 007623
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi
Publication Year: 2003
Total Pages: 46
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 269 KB

Page 39

followers of the Lord and later on came to be known as Digambar, which means sky-clad. Those on the other side came to be known as Shwetämbar on account of the white cloth that they wore. The history of the Agams from that time onwards thus takes two different courses.
Even after Patliputra convention, Agams remained unwritten and continued to be passed on orally from preceptor to pupil. Memorizing must have taken its toll. Moreover, with the fall of Maurya dynasty in 150 BCE, Patliputra ceased to be the main center of Jainism, because Mitra dynasty that took over, was not favorably inclined to it. That resulted in a large-scale migration of Jain monks and laymen towards Udaygiri (near present Bhuvaneshwar) in the southeast and towards Mathura in the west. These factors contributed once again to variations in the version of Agams. Therefore by the end of the first century, most probably in 97 CE, another convention was called at Mathurä under the leadership of Skandilächärya. Curiously enough, another convention was almost simultaneously held at Vallabhipur in Gujarat under the leadership of Nägärjunächarya. There were some differences in the versions arrived at the two conventions. No one knows whether any attempt was made to reconcile the varying versions. That is called second Vächanä.
At that time also the Agams remained unwritten. Variations in the version were therefore bound to occur. Ultimately one more convention was held at Vallabhipur in 454 CE under the leadership Devardhigani Kshamäshraman. An authorized version of all the Agams available at that time was prepared at that convention and they were for the first time written down. With the passage of time, some of those Agams were lost and some were destroyed during the Muslim invasions. There are available at present 45 of them, which are acceptable to Shwetämbar Murtipujak sect. They consist of 11 Angs (the 12th one lost long back), 12 Upängs, 4 Mul Sutras, 6 Chhed Sutras, 10 Misc. and 2 Chulikäs.
Digambars started writing their own texts on the basis of knowledge at their command. Achäryas Dharsen and Gundhar, who happened to be in the line of Bhadrabähuswämi, were very knowledgeable. Their successors composed Shatkhandägam, Gomatasär, Labdhisär and some other compositions, which are collectively known as Pratham Shrut Skandh (First collection of scriptures).
That could have occurred some time after the Patliputra convention. During the second century CE, the venerable Kundkundächärya wrote Samaysär, Pravachansär, Niyamsär, Panchästikäy, Ashtapähud etc. They are collectively known as Dwitiya Shrut Skandh (Second collection of scriptures). Samaysar, Pravachansär and Panchästikäy are held in high esteem even by nonDigamabars. Digambar saints accept those works as the most authentic Jain Agams and most of the subsequent Digamabar literature is based on them. In about 200 CE, Honorable Umäswäti alias Umäswami wrote his Tattwärthasutra presenting the entire essence of Jainism in Sanskrit language. Luckily that book happens to be acceptable to all the sects of Jainism. It means that despite the outward differences, there is no dispute among them about the fundamentals. Several learned commentaries have been prepared on this book by Acharyas of both the denominations.
Subsequent well-known author is Honorable Siddhasen Diwäkar, who lived during the time of king Vikramaditya. He seems to have written on many aspects of Jainism. His Sanmatitark is considered a masterly book and is enthusiastically studied by scholars even at present. Sarvärtha Siddhi of Pujyapädswami in 5th or 6th century and Shaddarshan Samucchaya as well as Yog Drishti Samucchaya of Achärya Haribhadrasuri in 8th century are the major Jain works after the age of Agams.
By that time the idol worship seems to have been firmly established and many temples were set up. That generated the demand for the reliable persons to consecrate the idols and to perform various rituals. In Shwetämbar sect, that led to the rise of renegade monks known as Yatis. They used to stay in the temple complex and came to be known as Chaityaväsis. They lived in affluence and availed of all the comforts. Haribhadrasuri was the first to castigate their excesses. But the evil seems to have continued long after that.