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CHAPTER VII SECTS OF THE JAINA PURĀNAKĀRAS, CARITAS AND PURANAS,- EXTENT OF THE BRAHMANICAL INFLUENCE ON THEM
The authors of the Purānas under investigation belong to three different sects, viz , the Soelämbara, the Digambara and the Yapaniya. The poets pertaining to all the three sects claim to have composed their narratives in accordance with their own sectarian standard But a study of the various works shows that their differences and discrepancies are not so much due to the sectarian distinction as to the individual likes and dislikes. For, as bas already been pointed out, the disharmony is found even in the works of the same sect And this phenomenon is discernible more in the writings of the Digambara authors than in those of the others.
As is evident from their titles, the works in question pass under the names Purāna and canta both To the same type of works the Digambara authors have given the name Purana, while the Svetāmbaras together with the Tapaniyas have assigned the title carita A study of the texts, however, reveals that the authors are not strict in the use of these terms For, there are cvidences to show that the works called caritas do not disown the designation Puranal and vice versa
A close study of the compositions clearly shows that the texts, although moderately conforming to the Purānic characteristics, do not abide by the definition of a Carta in the strict
1. eg Radişena calls his work both Padmacarita and Padmapurana (padmasy
caritānı vakşye, 1 16a) And in 1 44 he refers to it as Purana Moreover, the colophons appearing in the end of the Parpans alternately use carita Bad Purana both Spayambhu, although naming his Rima narrative as Paumacariu refers to 63 Puränas 59 expressly and 4 inferentially including the Purana of Rama (annu n ekkunasatthipurānāım Jina-sasane hosant
pahanārñ, SPC, 5 9 10 ) 2. Discussed in chapter II (Supra)
