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The Aşta (Eight) Pahuḍas are discourses on:
1. Darśana
2. Sutra
3. Căritra
4. Bodha
5. Bhāva
6. Mokṣa
7. Linga
8. Sila
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JAIN JOURNAL
Right Belief
Twelve Angas
Right Conduct
Eleven hall-marks of a Muni
Soul Activity
Path to Salvation
Who is a real Muni ?
True disposition of a Muni
The Aşta Pahuḍas were written at a time when decadence had set in and there was schism in Jainism. In the Eight Pähudas, the Jaina Munis are reminded of the high Order to which they belong and they are exhorted not to deviate from the path of rectitude and asceticism set for them by their preceptors.
Question arises why the author chose to call his works as Pahuḍa? In Volume I, Part 1, Gatha 13, page 297 of Kaşaya Pahuḍas, there is question-answer :
pāhuḍe tti kā ņirutti? jamhā padehi phuḍam tamha pähudam
Query What is the etymological explanation of Pahuḍa? Reply All that is written in verse-form is Pähuda.
Thus in a generic sense, all that is written in Prakrit verse is Pähuda. The Sanskrit equivalent of Pahuḍa is Prabhṛta. On the same page 297 of Kasaya Pāhuḍa, the word Prabhṛta is explained as under :
Jain Education International
prakṛṣṭena tirthankareṇa ābhṛtam prasthāpitam iti prabhṛtam
prakṛṣṭairäcāryairvidyavittavadvirabhṛtaṁ dhäritam
vyākhyātamānītamiti vā präbhṛtam
By Gunadharäcärya, Digambar Jain Sangh Granthamälä, Series 1, second edition, 1974 publication.
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