Agam 30 Prakirnak 07 Candavejjhayam Sutra

Author(s): D S Baya
Publisher: Agam Ahimsa Samta Evam Prakrit Samsthan

Page 29

XXVIII : CANDRAVEDHYAKA PRAKIRNAKA
Anuyogadvāra have been mentioned in the Āvaśyaka-niryukti and even if we take it to be composed by Bhadrabāhu II, its period is decidedly before the second half of the 5th century AD. From all this we can conclude that Devavācaka lived and his Nandīsūtra was composed before the 5th century AD. For more information in this regard, we shall direct the readers to refer preface of Nandīsūtra by Muni Punyavijaiji and Pt. Dalsukhbhai Malavaniya.
As Candravedhyaka is mentioned in Nandīsūtra, we can only conclude, on the basis of this evidence, that this work came into being well before the 5th century AD. It is difficult to say as to what could be the upper limit of the period of its creation. Many verses of Candravedhyaka prakīrņaka are found in many other canonical texts (Āgamas) such as – Uttarādhyayana, Jñātā dharmakathā, and Anuyogadvāra; in the niryuktis such as -- Avaşyaka Niryukti, Uttarādhyayana Niryukti, Daśavaikālika Niryukti, and Ogha Niryukti; in prakīrņakas such as - Maranavibhakti, Bhaktaparijñā, Āturapratyākhyāna, Mahāpratyā khyāna, Titthogāli, Āradhanā-patākā, and Gacchācāra; in the Šaursenī texts of the Digambara and the Yāpanīya traditions such as - Bhagavatī– Arādhanā, Mulācāra, Niyamasāra, and Astapā huda (Suttapāhuda) and in the Bhāşya treatises such as - Viseșā vaśyaka Bhāșya. Al these texts are of a period before the 5th-6th century AD. However, it is difficult to decide as to whether these verses came into these works from Candravedhyaka or vice versa. Both are possible. Actually, the verses from Candravedhyaka, that are found in Jñātādharmakathā and Anuyogadvāra seem to be quoted only.
As far as the question of similar verses of Candravedhyaka and Uttarādhyayanasūtra is concerned, we find them in the latter's third, ninth, twenty-eighth and the twentyninth chapters. Though some difference is found in the word