Arhat Vachan 2002 01

SR No.: 526553
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Anupam Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 108
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Arhat Vachan, & India
File Size: 7 MB

Page 19

Vol. 14, No. 1, 2002, 17-29
ARHAT VACANA Kundakunda unānapitha, Indore
MATHEMATICS IN MAHĀVĪRA'S TRADITION
Dr. Anupam Jain *
अलध्यं त्रिजगत्सारं यस्यानन्त चतुष्टयम्। नमस्तस्मै जिनेन्द्राय महावीरतायिने॥ संख्याज्ञान प्रदीपेन जैनेन्द्रेण महात्विषा। प्रकाशितं जगत्सर्वं येन तं प्रणमाम्यहम्॥'
In the salutation of his famous Indian Mathematical text Ganitasārasamgraha (GSS) of 9th century great Jainācārya Mahavira (814-877 A.D.) says -
I bow to Lord Mahāvīra who are unsurpassable in all the three world and accquired four infinite attributes. I bow to that highly glorious Lord Jina by whom as forming the shining lamp of the knowledge of numbers, the whole of the Universe has been made to shine.
In this mangatacarana Mahāvīrācārya refers Lord Mahavira as an illuminator of knowledge of numbers.
Another great mathematician Ācārya Sridhara of 8th C.A.D. writes in the salutation (mangatacarana) of Trisatikā that -
नत्वां जिनं स्वविरचित पाट्या गणितस्य सारमुद्धृत्य
लोकव्यवहाराय प्रवक्ष्यति श्रीधराचार्यः।। Sridharācārya bowing to God Jina tells the substance of Mathematics as extracted from the Patī composed by himself for the use of people.
This indicates the purpose of compiling the completely mathematical texts by Jainācāryas. Of course it does not give complete picture, even then, it is important
Mathematics in Mahāvīra's tradition presently known as Jaina School of Mathematics. Modern mathematical world was completely unaware with this school before the publication of GSS in 1912 with English translation by M. Rangācārya. The first information about GSS was given by Prof. David Eugen Smith in April 1908 in Fourth International Congress on Mathematics in Rome. After this a detailed survey article under the title 'The Jaina School of Mathematics appeared in Bulletin of Calcutta Mathematical Society in 1929, by Prof. B.B.
Department of Mathematics, Holkar Autonomous Science College, Indore -452017.