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xxvi
We then come in this history to the comnientaries. The old Niryuktis attributed to Bhadrabahu are the oldest available; but the perusal of the same leads one to believe that there existed a cosiderable activity to comment upon the Scriptures even before the composition of Niryuktis. Then we come to zfors, the language, handling and the materials of which lead us to believe them to be the compositions of 5th to 7th century A. C. Afterwards comes the age of Haribhadrasuri, YakinĪsūnu, then of S'ilanka and then surga who flourished in the first part of the 12th century of the Vikrama era. It may also be stated that in the days of these commentators many points lexical and etymological had become obscure.
§ 4. The language of the Jain Canon is. called Ardhamagadbi. In the scriptures the statements to thls effect are found. In Samaváya, Bhagavati, Ovavāia and Pannavana, 25 the
25. mar 34 (HIFTHOF Ed. P. 60) Ta णं अद्धमागहीए भासाए धम्ममाइक्खइ । सा वि य णं अद्धमागही भासा भासिज्जमाणी तेसिं सव्वेसिं आरियमणारियाणं दुप्पयचउप्पयमियपसुपक्खिसरोसिवाणं अप्पप्पणो हियसिवसुहदाय भासत्ताए परिणमइ । For the other passages, Fran V. iv leaf 231; sita. 8:56 gooniaout (311. a Ed.) leaf. 56. All these quotations are given by L. B. Gandhi Intro. of quie t P. 84ff.
