Canonical Literature Of Jainas

Author(s): H R Kapadia
Publisher: Hindi Granth Karyalay

Page 89

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THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
[CHAP.
opinion seeing that the Digambaras also have lost the Pûrvas, and the Angas to boot. It is not probable that the development of Gainism during the two first centuries after the Nirvana should have gone on at so rapid a pace that its two principal sects should have been brought to the necessity of discarding their old canon. For, as stated above, after the splitting of the church in these two sects the philosophical system of the Gainas remained stationary, since it is nearly the same with both sects. As regards ethics, both sects, it is true, differ more. But as the extant canon of the Svetânbaras is not falling into neglect, though many practices enjoined in it have long since been abandoned, it is not more probable that they should have been more sensible on the same score at the time when the Parvas formed their canon. Besides, some of the Pûrvas are said to have continued to be extant long after the time which we have assigned for the formation of the new canon. At last they disappeared, not by an intentional neglect, I presume, but because the new canon set into clearer light the Gaina doctrines, and put them forward more systematically than had been done in the controversial literature of the Pûrvas."
The latest information we can gather on this point is to be found in L. Alsdolf's article A new version of the Agadadattae story published in New Indian Antiquary” (vol. I, No. 5, August 1938). There on p. 287 it is said:
"I must confess that I do not believe in the legendary and biographical contents of the fourth part of the Drștivāda but regard the Jaina tradition on this point as unfounded. I agree with SCHUBRING (Lehre der Jainas, $ 38) who has made it at least very probable that the real contents of the Destivāda, consisted of an exposition and refutation of heretical doctrines, and that this was the reason of its loss: it was thought undesirable to preserve these old discussions because their study could lead to a revival of heretical views and actions'. The four parts of the Dystivāda?, viz. parikamma, suttăim, puvvagaya, and anuyoga, contained the introductions”, the “teachings" and the “pūrvapaksa" (this, and not “old texts" being the real meaning of “puvva"!) which were refuted by the “investigation" (anuyoga). This well-nigh excludes the possibility of legendary and biographical contents of the Anuoga; and I think the renson why such contents were ascribed to it later is not difficult to find. It is certain that, though the traditional subdivision of the Destivāda is probably genuine, the detailed tables of contents giren in the Nandi and in the 4th Anga are entirely fantastic because at the time when they were composeil 1 If this view is accepted, how is it possible to account for the several
heretical doctrines one comes across in Süyagada? 2 This has 5 parts in all, Cüliyā being the last.