Jainism in North India

SR No.: 011067
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London
Publication Year: 1932
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 3 MB

Page 273

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA refused to acknowledge the canon, and declared that the Purvas and the Angas were lost to them. Thus here lies the basis of the belief of the Digambaras--that what exists as the Siddhanta of the Jainas is not in its original form. We shall once again see presently that this tradition on their part carries very little weight considering the grounds in favour of the Svetam bara belief. However, before we come to this we shall refer to the next Jaina council, that met at Vallabhi in Gujarat under Devardhiganin, the Buddhagliosha of Jaina literary history, in the beginning of the sixth century AD. What happened after the first great council in Magadha is that in course of time the canon of the Svetambaras fell into disorder, and was even in danger of being lost. Therefore, as seen before, in the year 980 or 993. after the death of Mahavira, "a famous teacher, Devardhiganin, called the Ksamasramana, who saw that the sacred lore was in danger of becoming obsolete-no doubt because of the scarcity of manuscripts --convoked a second great council at Vallabhi." 2 The twelfth Anga, which contained the Purvas, was already lost by that time, and whatever could be available was put down in a definite written form. Thus Devardhiganin's activity must have consisted only in bringing about a canon of holy scriptures partly with the help of old manuscripts and partly on the ground of oral tradition As most of the modern scholars believe, we need no more doubt that the whole of the external form of the Siddhanta dates from the days of Dhruvasena, under whose patronage the great council was called. Now, coming to the Digambara tradition of the Jaina Siddhanta being completely lost or forgotten immediately after the great famine in Magadha, we find that there is no evidence available on which we can make such a sweeping statement. Before we proceed any further one thing must be noted down that even the Digambaras agree to the fact that the first disciples of Mahavila knew the 1 For the famino in Alagadha, etc, see Charpentier, op cit, Int, pp 18-15, Wintertitz, op and loc ct * Charpentier, op cit, Int, P 15 Cf. Winternitz, op al, pp 298-29-4, Jacobi, 8.B.E, XII, Int, pp 01112-XXXVU2According to another tradition the Staananta was issued at the hands of a council in Mathurn under Sri Skandilacarya "--Teber, 1.4 , XVII, 282 8 "Puroam sarvasiddhantanim pathanam ca mnhhapathena' sul! -Jacobi Kalpa. Satra, p 117 Cf Winternitz, op cit, p 294 For the work done and the exact method adopted by the redactors of this councul see Charpenter, op cit,Int , pp 16 " To provide every teacher, or at least Upasraya, with copies of the sacred books, Devardhigania must have issued a large edition of the Siddhanta Jacobi, S.BE , xu, Int, P vil 222