________________
13
He was the first Jaina writer and preacher who had consis. tently attempted to interprete and explain the principles of the Jaina Canon in such a manner as to appeal to the intellect of the people. That is to say, he did not instruct his pupils or followers only in a traditional way without caring for the inner motive or spirit of the preachings. Though he preached the same old traditional principles of the Jaina Canon, he interpreted and explained them in a logical way so as to appeal to their intellect. He was, therefore, accepted by the people as an unparalleled preacher and scholar of the ago, and hence was awarded the title of "yugapradhāna".
His knowledge was not confined to the religious lore, but he was well-versed in the sciences of mathematics, etymology, prosody, and phonology also.t
Still, however, Ācārya Jinabhadragaņi was the staunch and orthoclox upholder of the traditional Jaina Canon. Though he knew many sciences, his extensive knowledge and intelligence were taken advantage of only for establishing the authenticity (ii) वाक्यैर्विशेषातिशयैर्थिश्वसन्देहहारिभिः । जिनमुदं जिनभद्र किं क्षमाश्रमणं स्तुवे ।
-Muni-Candra Sūri in Amara Caritra, (iii) जिनवचननतं विषमं भावार्थ यो विविच्य शिष्येभ्यः ।
इत्थमुपादिशदमलं परोपकारेककृतचेताः ।। तं नमत बोधजलधि गुणमंदिरमखिलवाग्मिनां श्रेष्ठम् ।
चरणश्रियोपगूढं जिनभद्रगणिक्षमाश्रमणम् ॥ -Malayagiri Sūri in his Commentary on Brihat Ksetra Samāsa. $ Vide नमह य अणुओग-धरं जुगप्पहाणं पहाणनाणायमयं ।
सव्व-सुइ-सत्थ-कुसलं दसण-नाणोवओगमग्गम्मिठियं ॥
-Siddhasona Sari in his Carņi on Jitakalpasatra, + Vide स-समय पर-समयाग:-लिवि-गणिय-छन्द-सहनिम्माओ। दससु वि दिसासु जस्स य अणुभोगो (अणुवमो) भणह जसपडहो।
(Ibid)
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
