Basic Mathematics

Author(s): L C Jain
Publisher: Rajasthan Prakrit Bharti Sansthan Jaipur

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by the Jaina scholars to the development of Hindu Mathematics, will have to refrain from further prosecuting his project now at this preliminary stage of the investigation. So he wishes to keep in print a brief account of the results obtained by his labour in the hope that it will probably save the future and more successful researcher at least of some amount of his labour. Moreover, even within this short span of time, there have been discovered certain mathematical results which are not only highly interesting but are also considered very important for the history of Hindu mathematics."12
When the Dhavalā texts III was sent to Dr. A. N. Singh, by Dr. H. L. Jain for writing an article on the mathematics embedded therein, he was not prepared to take it up for the reason that he did not think himself competent then, because of the technical terminology involved in the texts. However, by long persuasion, as Dr. H. L. Jain used to relate, he contributed three articles, 13 He expresses in, “Mathematics of Dhavalā", the following impression, "We have been accustomed to think that amongst the vast population of India only the Hindus studied mathematics and were interested in the subject, and that the other sections of the population of India, e. g. the Buddhists and the Jainas, did not pay much attention to it. This view has been held by scholars because mathematical works written by Buddhists or Jaina mathematicians had been unknown until quite recently. A study of the Jaina cononical works, however, reveals that mathematics was held in high esteem by the Jainas. In fact the knowledge of mathematics and astronomy was considered to be one of the principal accomplishments of the Jaina asceties 1 (Cf. Bhagwati-sūtra with the commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri, edited by Āgamodaya samiti of Mehesana, 1919, Sūtra 90; English Translation by Jacobi of the Uttarādhyayana-sútra, Oxford, 1895, ch. 7, 8, 38)”. 14
Dr. Singh has further noted, “Although the names of several Jaina mathematicians are known, their works have been lost. The earliest among them is Bhadrabāhu who died in 278 B, C. He is known to be the author
two astronomical works : (1) a commentary on the Süryaprajñpati and (ii) an original work called the Bhadrabāhavi Samhita. He is mentioned by Malayagiri (c. 1150) in his commentary on the Suryaprajñapti, and has been quoted by Bhattotpala (966) [Bșhat Samhitā, ed. by S. Dvivedi, Benaras, 1895, p. 226.] Another Jaina astronomer of the name of Siddhasena has been quoted by Varāhamihira (505) and Bhattotpla. Mathematical
12. Cf. ibid. 13. Cf. bibliography. 14. Cf. ibid., Dhavalā, vol. 3, Amaraoti, 1942.pp. i-xxi.