________________
Upadhye's chronology of different authors and their works certainly refutes such an assumption."
14
This view is supported by Dr. T.V.G. Sastri, who cites that Umaswami appears to have Kundakunda's Pancastikayasara as the source for his work the Tattvarthathigama Sutra.
According to the Srutāvatāra of Indranandi, the great preceptor Padmanandi who is also known as Kundakunda hailed from Kundakundapura. An inscription from Bastihalli refers to the pervading fame of this eminent sage, hailing from Koṇḍakunda, graced by the Cārņas. A damaged inscription from Konakondla itself mentions that the place was renowned all over the world as the birth place of eminent teacher Padmanandi Bhaṭṭṭāraka. Another inscription from the same place mentions it as Kondakundeya Tirtha.16
The account of literary and epigraphic evidence thus clearly establish that preceptor Padmanandi who hailed from and lived on the hill near Konakondla became known and famous as Kundakunda. The village is identified with present Konakondla, which is located four miles towards south from the Guntkal railway station in Anantapur district of Andhra state.
15
The Ascetic Lineage
Kundakunda belonged to the ascetic congregation which was presided over by Bhadrabahu-II, the last of the minor-Angins. The Paṭṭāvalis, although of later period, preserved by both the Digamabaras and the Śvetämbaras show that minor-Angins - Subhadra, Yaśobhadra, Bhadrabahu-II were the consecutive pontiffs of the Jain church. Subhadra was pontiff for only six years, and Yasobhadra was pontiff for eighteen years. According to the Digamabara Paṭṭāvalis, the genealogy of the pontiffs is:
1. Bhadrabāhu-II was a Brahmin by caste and was born in 107 B.C.E and died in the month of November in the year 31 B.C.E. He was a house holder for 24 years, a monk for 30 years and became pontiff in 53 B.C.E. presiding for over 22 years.
2. Guptigupta was born in 87 B.C.E. in a Panwar caste and died in the month of July in the year 21 B.C.E at the age of 65. He led a householder life for 22 years, and ascetic life for 34 years, becoming pontiff in 31 B.C.E. for nine years.
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