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CHAPTER VI THE CANONICAL EXEGETICAL LITERATURE At the very outset, I may mention that I divide the canonical literature of the Jainas into two groups. In the first group, I include the pure texts forming the Jaina canon, whereas in the second all those works which explain these texts. It is this second group which I wish to deal with, in this chapter.
It seems that in an ordinary course, the need for explanation must have been felt from the time human beings began to communicate their thoughts to one another, and this must have led in its turn to the evolving of the exegetical literature of all the nations, that of the Indians being no exception to this rule. This is not the place where I can enter into a discussion about its origin. Even the fundamental and distinguishing characteristics of the exegetical literatures of all the Indian schools of thought cannot be fully treated. Further it is not here possible to deal with the exegetical literature pertaining to the non-canonical works of even the Jainas. So keeping these limitations in view, I shall now proceed with the subject here specified.
In every epoch, so to say, at least one prophet appears to have flourished in India and his sermon, to have served as a basis for explanation and elucidation to be indulged in, by his . apostles and followers. To take a special case, according to the
Jaina tradition, the Ganadharas compose dvādaśāngīs, and each of them teaches his own dvādaśāngā to his pupils. Consequently, while doing so, each must be offering some explanation or other, at least regarding knotty points. But, strange to say, there seems to be no record maintained regarding these explanations of the dvādaśangis. This state of affairs exists not only in connection with the dvadasāngis composed prior to the birth of Lord Mahāvira, but also in the case of the 11 dvādaśāngis composed by his own 11 Ganadharas.
A student conversant with the Jaina system of education knows it full well that first of all, the meaning
