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PRAJÑĀPANĀ AND SATKHANDAGAMA
The Anga Sutra Dṛṣṭivada is the common source of both Prajñāpanāsūtra and Satkhaṇḍagama. That is, both these works have drawn upon the Dṛṣṭivada for the material contained in them. Again, both these works are of the nature of compilation. But their style of presentation is different. One should note the points of this difference. Prajñāpanāsūtra contains 36 literary divisions called 'Padas'. It keeps living being in the forefront. Satkhaṇḍāgama, in the first Khanda called Jivasthana, investigates, through various points viz. gati etc., the 14 stages of spiritual evolution (gunasthana; here the term jivasamāsa is employed for gunasthāna), resulted from the destruction of Karmas. Of the remaining part Khuddabandha, Bandhasvamitva, Vedana-these Khandas could be said to deal with living being keeping Karma in the forefront. In the Vargaṇākhanda too the main topic treated of is the vargaṇā (class) of karma. The vargana of others is discussed in so far as it is conducive to the understanding of Karma-vargaṇā. The 6th Khanda is known by the name of Mahabandha. Hence there too the discussion about Karma is the main.
Out of the 36 'Padas' contained in Prajñāpanāsutra, the names of six 'Padas' (23-27, 35) occurring in the Prajñāpanāsutra itself are 'Karma' (23), Karmabandhaka (24), Karmavedaka (25), Vedabandhaka (26), Vedavedaka (27), Vedana (35). It is interesting to compare these names with those of the concerned Khandas of the Satkhandagama, suggested by the commentator. The concerned Khandas of the Satkhaṇḍagama discuss the topics more in detail and more minutely than the Padas of Prajñāpanāsūtra. Thus in Prajñāpanāsutra, the discussions centre round the Jiva while in Satkhandagama they centre round the Karma.
Prajñāpanāsūtra prominently employs question-answer style adopted in Anga Sutras. And at many places it is clear that the questions and answers are of Gautama and Mahāvīra respectively. But Satkhandagama employs the scientific method the constituents of which are Uddeśa, Nirdeśa and Vibhaga. Only occasionally we come across the questions and answers.1
Prajñāpanāsutra which is of the nature of compilation is a work of one Acārya. But the case with Satkhaṇḍāgama is different. Prajñápană contains no Culikā. But in Saṭkhanḍāgama Culikās have been added2. We know not as to who made this additions and
1. The topics like 'Bandhasämittavicaya', Satkhaṇḍāgama Book VIII, occasionally employ question-answer style.
2. Satkhandagama Book VI contains 9 Culikas, Book X, 1, Book XI, 2 and Book XII, 3. In the Su. 581 (Book XIV) it is explicitly stated that"etto uvarimagamtho culiā nāma."
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