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 293

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA during the first few centuries before and after the Christian era to raise the Svetambaras to the high level of Indian mental culture were brought to their conclusion by Hemacandra, who provided them with admirable text-books of the principal Indian sciences, besides such standard works as more directly concerned their own creed Siddhasena is known to us particularly as the famous author of Nydyavatara and Sammatitarka. The first is a metrical work on logic, giving an exposition of the doctrine of Pramana (sources of valid knowledge) and Naya (the method of comprehending thungs from particular standpoints), while the second is the only work in Prakrt on general philosophy containing an elaborate discussion on the principles of logie Before the inauguration of these two leamed works it seems there had not perhaps existed any distinct treatise on Jaina logic, its principles having been included in the works on metaphysics and religion To quote Dr Vidyabhusana; "Logic was mixed up with metaphysics and religion in the ancient writing of the Jainas as in those of other sects in India The first Jama writer on pure logic appears to have been Siddhasena Divakara It was he who, for the first time among the Jainas, distinguished logic from the cognate branches of learning by composing a metrical work called Nyayavatara on Logic in thirty-two stanzas." 1 As with Bhadrabehu so also with Divakara is connected one of the hymns of the Jainas which is also an ode to Parsva. This is the Kalyanamandirastotra, the tradition about whose composition runs as follows: "Once he (Siddhasena) presumptuously declared in the presence of his Guru that he would turn the whole sacred lore from Praket into Sanskrt. For the expiation of the sin committed by this sacrilegious utterance he was administered by his Guru the ParaThrka Prayascitta, which requred bum to remain dumb for twelve years and visit sacred places In the observance of this vow he once went to Ujjain and lodged in the temple of Mahakala Here he incurred the displeasure of the priests for not making obeisance to the god Siva. They called the King Vikramaditya, who compelled Siddhasena to bow before the god. Siddhasena did this, reciting the Kalyanamandira ode, which had the effect of splitting the image of Siva in twain and manifesting out of it an image of 1 Vidyabhusana, Nyayavatara, Int , p. 1 242