Comprehensive History Of Jainism

SR No.: 022803
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Aseem Kumar Chatterjee
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 28 MB

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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF JAINISM
(Adityabhavana) of Mūlasthāna or Multan (98.110), which was destroyed by the Muslims within 60 years of the composition of this poem. The author describes the great Bhadrabahu as a resident of Devakoṭṭapura, which was situated in Puṇḍravardhana, which was also known as Varendra (96.1; 131.1). the city of Mathura is described as abounding in Jaina temples (2.1); a similar description of Ujjayini is also to be found (3.2). He has besides shown his acquaintance with the Pañcatantra and one story,' ,126 including the verse (aparikṣitam na kartavyaṁ, etc.), is taken directly from that work. The religious rivalry between the Jainas and Buddhists are described in story no. 12, where we have references to Buddharatha and Jinaratha (12.116). A chariot-procession in honour of the Buddha is referred to even by Fa-hien. 127 The Kayasthas are ridiculed in story nos. 23 and 25. They are denounced in a number of Brahmanical works, including the Yajnavalkyasmṛti. 128 Reference to 18 scripts is also found in this poem (22.4), which also has one of the early references to 18 Purāņas (126.175). There is an interesting story connected with Kärttikeya (no. 136), and like the Mahabharata the town of Rohiteka (Rohitaka) is connected with the worship of that deity (136.23). Worship of Durgā was popular at Nasik (71.8 ff.); Rāmagiri is described as situated at the junction of Kalingavişaya and Andhraviṣaya (59.194), and it is apparent that this Rāmagiri is to be identified with its namesake, mentioned in the Kalyāṇakāraka. There was great rivalry between Hinduism and Jainism (no. 33). In this connection there is a reference to Brahmaratha (33.9). We are also told the origin of Vindhyavāsini by Hariṣeņa (106.248 ff). The Śvetämbaras are denounced as holding false doctrine (131.69) and also in this connection that the Śvetämbaras (Ardhaphālakāḥ) originated at Valabhi, which is described as situated in Saurāṣṭra.
The above discussion abundantly shows that this work of Harisena is one of the representative Digambara Jaina texts of the early mediaeval period, and is certainly one of the more important sourcebooks for the historian of Jainism.
Let us now turn our attention to the two great Digambara literary luminaries of the second half of the tenth century AD. The first was the celebrated Puspadanta and the second Somadeva. Puspadanta is the author of the following three works: Tisatthimahāpurīṣaguṇālankāru (Triṣaṣṭimahāpuruṣaguṇālankāra), Nāyakumāracariyu (Nāgakumāracarita), and Jasaharacariyu (Yasodharacarita), all of which were written in Apabhraṁśa.