Agam 30 Prakirnak 07 Gacchachar Sutra

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

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Mahāniśītha has been mentioned in the list in the Nandisutra. From this it is evident that Mahānisītha is a work of a period prior to the 6th century. However, the available copies of Mahānisītha also have an inscription to the effect that termite had eaten the original copy of Mahāniśītha and that it was restored by Acarya Haribhadrasūri in the 8th century." It is clear from this that Mahānisītha might have existed prior to the 6th century AD but its current form is a contribution of Acārya Haribhadrasūri. From this we co.ne to a conclusion that the author of Gacchäcāra Prakirnaka had Mahānisītha in front of him in its present form. On this basis, it must be believed that Gacchācāra Prakīrṇaka was composed sometime after the 8th century and before the 13th century. The absence of any mention of the Gacchācāra Prakīrṇaka in any of his works by Acarya Haribhadrasūri also shows that it was composed some time after Haribhadra (circa 8th century AD).
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We have mentioned it earlier, too, that the use of the word 'Gaccha' to mean a monastic group, as used in the Gacchācāra Prakirnaka, also came into being only after the 8th century. From the 8th century itself various monastic families (Kula) such as Candra Kula, Vidyādhar Kula, Nāgendra Kula and Nivṛtti Kula were being referred to as Candra Gaccha, Vidyādhar Gaccha, Nagendra Gaccha and Nivrtti Gaccha respectively. This is certain that the Gacchacara Prakīrṇakawas compose only after the use of the term Gaccha had become current. As we do not get any inscriptional as well as literary evidence of a period prior to the 8th century to show that the word Gaccha was used to mean a monastic group, as it means now, it can be surmised that this
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PREFACE: XXXIII
Nandīsūtra, Muni Madhukara, Āgama Prakashan Samiti, Beawar, sutra 76, 79–81.
Quoted - Jain Sahitya Kā Vṛhad Itihas, Vol. II, pp. 291, 292.