Jain Journal 1978 01

SR No.: 520049
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 36
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 2 MB

Page 21

JANUARY, 1978
had the power to float in the air. There is a reference that KKA paid homage to Simandhara Svami from here and probably this has inspired later writers to fabricate the story of his visiting Purva Videha. But, I for one, believe these stories as mere symbolic. KKA probably have journeyed from South to North and East to visit the holy places. Such journeys in those days were remarkable feat for any man. This might have given rise to the story of his visiting Purva Videha. Being a monk he had to travel on foot and monks usually walk faster than ordinary men. This has given rise to rare gift of walking without touching ground. It might be that by attributing this gift his devotees might have attempted to equate him with a Tirthankara or to explain his detachment to this world. Similarly, there is kunda in his name, meaning jasmine; the stories of converting fish and liquor into jasmine might have thus originated.
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Now regarding his contribution to Jainology as a writer. Here also there are problems. Exact number of his works are not known. Tradition says that he had written 84 Pahuḍas or Prabhṛtas. There is nothing which can corroborate it. It is sometimes suggested that he wrote Kural in Tamil, Tattvartha Sutra in Sanskrit and other works in Prakrit, but his authorship of Kural and Tattvartha Sutra can be set aside, so also the authorship of Mülācāra and Rayanasāra.
He is supposed to have written a commentary on three sections of Satkhaṇḍāgama. Dr. A. N. Upadhye, however, rules out any such possibility."...No such commentary attributed to KK is available today, nor have I been able to find any traces of it in Dhavala and Jayadhavala commentaries." As for other works attributed to him most of them are small works. Of the important works, Samayasara, Pravacanasāra and Pañcāstikāya are outstanding. Here again Amritacandra Suri and Jaya Sena, two prominent commentators differ in mentioning the number of gāthās.
In a sense KKA was not an original writer. He was essentially a Sastrajna, and seems to have recorded in Prakrit all that which was in oral tradition. He was considered as so well versed in Jaina Siddhanta that some of the later writers have equated their contemporary great Acaryas with KKA. May be, as a result of this that KK acquired different names.
A number of editions of his works are now being published in various languages. It would be useful if an exhaustive bibliography is prepared which will show, not only how much has been done so far but also how much more remains to be done.