Jain Journal 1968 01

SR No.: 520009
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 64

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JAIN JOURNAL
it is uncharitable to cast aspersions on them. This argument however would not satisfy many in this age at least when women are no longer lagging behind. The fifth study deals with hells and surprisingly enough is followed in the sixth study by a propitiation (stuti) of Mahavira. Subsequent studies deal with bad conduct (kušila), prowess (virya), dharma (both laukika and lokottara), samādhi or santoșa, way (mārga), aggregation of diverse viewpoints (samavasaraņa), etc., etc. According to dharma adhyayana, all dharmas, mārgas and sampradāyas (religious practices, ways and groups) which do not adhere to the Jaina tradition are laukika; only those that are the followers of the Jaina tradition are alone lokottara. The fifteenth study entitled ādāna or ādānīya and the sixteenth study entitled gāthā are deserving of special mention. The former is characterised by the fact that the concluding pada of a gāthā becomes the opening pada of the followting gātha. The last consists of beautiful songs, as in the Sama Veda. The second book is a further elaboration of the siddhāntas contained in book one. The most interesting is the last study in it on Nalanda, the well-known place in Bihar, which according to this Sūtra had attained the height of religious toleration. The word is derived from na-alam-dā. Dā is dānam or giving alms. In Nalanda monk of any order was free to receive alms. This became possible because Nalanda was the seat of princes and wealthy people, from which the title Narendra, of which Nalendra or Nalanda was only a later version.
Sthānānga and Samabāyānga, the subject matter of the fifth chapter, is a comprehensive index of which only a fraction is extant. These are therefore in a category by themselves. It is surmised that after all the Angas had been compiled, it was necessary to compile an index-sort of thing for the sake of simplicity and intelligibility and these were included in the list of Anga literature in order to impart to them a respectability. The events recorded in these are all posterior to Mahavira by several centuries and the arrangement of the subjects too is somewhat irregular. This index is also an encyclopaedia in so far as it considers such diverse items as pregnancy of a woman without the company of a male, causes of earthquake, rainfall, capital cities and rivers. But for the aid of the vștti, the understanding of these two Sutras would have been somewhat difficult.
Byakhyāprajñapti also known as the Bhagavati Sūtra because of its wide respectability and bulk, has 15000 ślokas in all. The title is so derived as to signify knowledge without obstruction. It is recorded in the form of a dialogue in which Gautama asks questions to the Master and Mahavira gives the reply : iti Gautamapraśne Bhagavatā uktam.