Arhat Vachan 2003 07

SR No.: 526559
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Anupam Jain
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore
Publication Year: 2003
Total Pages: 148
Language: Hindi
Classification: Magazine, India_Arhat Vachan, & India
File Size: 12 MB

Page 103

ARHAT VACANA
Kundakunda Jñanapitha, Indore
'Jaina Spirit' (2001) have published two articles of an Edinburgh Professor regarding 'Self critical tradition of Jaina scripture and declining level of the current Jaina scholarship'. These articles lead us to infer what the western scholarship thinks about us and what we should do to improve our image in the western academic world. The author has called the short and long commentaries of scriptures as self-critical rather than seriously analytical explanatories. This literature has been composed by monk - scholars. According to him, the Jainas were aristocrates, kings and warriors up to the 14th century and the monks composed literature on monastic conduct or encouraging to move one on this side. After this period, the Jainas became businessman and direction of new literature changed towards the laity. However, the literature calls for idealized life and, therefore, totally impractical in many respects. This description seems to be based prominently on Svetambara literature. However, the statement of the author is not true as Triloka-prajñapti has given the number of laymen and women in the period of each Tirthankara in terms of lacs. It consisted of a very small number of aristocrates, about 99% belonged to different classes. How could the Tirthankara leave them without proper direction? That is why, the primary text of Upasakadasa' describes the laity conduct prominently. Other Svetambara primary texts also have described the practices and vows of the laity. Of course, it might be possible that there may not be independent texts on this subject. However, the Digambaras do have the texts on the conduct of the laity by Acarya Samantabhadra (2nd century A.D.). It has been translated in English as 'Manava Dharma'. Later many books on the conduct of the laity have been composed and their compendium is published from Juaraja Granthamala, Sholapur.
Arhat Vacana, 15 (3), 2003
Short Note-11
JAINA SCHOLARSHIP:
DECLINE OR GROWTH
N. L. Jain
The author has stated that in medieval age, Pt. Aashadhara in 13th century and Pt. Banarasidas and Pt. Todarmala composed some literature, (though Pandit Prabhachandra, later Acarya) was also there. While stating the name of Pt. Kailash Chandra Shastri, he has stated that the pathasala-trained Digambara pandits have done creditable work in the last 100 years. However, it could not be credited by the west because it was in Hindi. Moreover,
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