________________
JAIN JOURNAL
(2) The Bhagavati XX.8 says that each Tirthankara teaches the Purva,
Kalika-śruta (11 Angas) and Drştivāda in his own Tirtha, and the period of their duration are also mentioned in the context of 24 Tirthankaras' roles played in Bharata in Jambudvipa in the present cycle of Avasarpini. Mahavira's Purva is said to last for 1,000 years.
(3) The Purva forms an independent literature different from 12 Angas as
evinced, for instance, in the Nandi Therāvali 35 (39 in the Suttāgame) that speaks of Nagarjuna to have been the knower of Kālika-śruta and the Purva, and in the Catuhšarana 33 that enumerates 14 Purvi, 10 Purvi and 9 Purvi side by side 12 Angi and 11 Angi.3 Likewise, the Kalpasūtra Therāvalia speaks about Mahavira's 11 Ganadharas (in 9 ganas) to have been 12 Angis as well as 14 Purvis. All these necessarily mean that the Purva is a literature different from the Dựstivāda. Also the Tattvārthasūtra X.7 Bhāsya refers to a rddhi called pada-prakarana-uddeśa-adhyāya-prābhrta-vastu- pūrva-angaanusāritva and its 1.20 Bhāşya lists all the names of 12 Angas up to the Dşrtipāta (but not the Drștivāda). We should also note in this connection that in the Angic story texts beginning with the Jñātādharma, 'sāmāyikādi 14 Purvas' and 'sāmāyikādi 11 Angas' make their frequent appearance as the set phrases, but 'sāmāyikādi 12 Angas' or 'sāmāyikādi Drștivāda' never occur.
(4) In the post-canonical tradition, the Purva is believed as the source
of 12 Angas, for instance, in the Nandi Cūrni (PTS p.25) and Samavāya Tikā (pp. 130-31), as well as the source of certain Angabāhyas. Also in the post-canonical age, it is generally stated that all the Angabāhya works that are devoted to the doctrinal or philosophical discussions have the Drștivāda as their sources, and the Purya is also recognized as the source of Karmaprakyti, Pancasangraha and other works on the doctrine of karma in both Svetambara and Digambara traditions.
(5) The Bhagavatt V.4.199 mentions that the 14 Purvi is possessed of
a supernatural capacity called 'utkārikā bheda labdhi'. The Tattvärthasutra X.7 Bhāsya lists 14 Purvadharatva as one of the rddhis possessed by the performers of pythaktva and ekatva dhyānas which
3 D D. Malvania : Ibid., pp. 205-206. -D. D. Malvania : Ibid., pp. 202-203. 5 W. Schubri g: Ibid., $ 38. • D. D. Malvia : Ibid., pp. 207-208.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org