Canonical Literature Of Jainas

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

Page 91

THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
[CHAP.
ndha, Mahaparinna, its seventh ajjhayana is lost at least, by the time of Silanka Suri; for, he has mentioned this loss as a reason as to why he is not commenting upon it.2 It is rather strange that at least some of the verses, if not all, which form a part of the Ayaranijjutti and which are said to pertain to this Mahaparinna, are preserved and are seen printed in the editions of Ayara containing its Nijjutti and Silanka Suri's com. It is difficult to say for certain as to when this Mahaparinnā, got lost. It seems to be extant at least in the time of Vajrasvamin; for, he restored the extinct3 ākāśagāminī vidya from this ajjhayana.* The second suyakkhandha of Ayara now-a-days consists of the four Culas viz. (1) Pindesanais, (2) Sattasattikkaga, (3) Bhāvanā and (4) Vimutti, and it had one more Cula viz. Nisiha, in the time of. Bhadrabahusvamin. Out of them, the 2nd Cula has been evolved out of this Mahaparinna as stated in Ayāranijjutti (v. 290)7; but
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1 See p. 77, fn. 5. It is however the 9th ajjhayana according to Samavaya (s. 9). From Ind. Stud. (.vol. XVI, p. 251 seq.) we learn that Nandi, Avassayanijjutti and Vidhiprapa, too, say so-S. B. E. (XXII, intro. p. XLIX).
2
" अधुना सप्तमाध्ययनस्य महापरिज्ञाख्यस्यावसरः, तच्च व्यवच्छिन्नमिति कृत्वाऽतिलध्याष्टमस्य सम्बन्धो वाच्यः ।" 3. Cf. " महापरिणाए विज्जा पहुट्टा आसी सा पदाणुसारिणा तेणुद्धरिता”
Avassayacunni (pt. I, p. 394)
4
See the following 769th verse of Avassayanijjutti :
" जेणुद्ध रिभा विज्जा आगासगमा महापरिन्नाओ। वंदामि अज्जवइरं अपच्छिमो जो अ सुअहराणं ॥ ७६९ ।”
5
It seems that there is no specific name for the 1st Cula. So I have suggested this to facilitate the discussion.
6 This is corroborated by the following verse of Ayaranijjutti:
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णवबंभचेरमइओ अट्ठारसपयसह स्सिओ वेओ । हवइ य सपंचचूलो बहुबहुतरओ पयग्गेणं ॥ ११ ॥” From this verse, it may be inferred that the name of each of the ajjhayanas at least of the first suyakkhandha is Bambhacera. and that the entire work is styled as Veü (Veda). Śilanka Sūri, while commenting upon this verse has said: " पञ्चमी निशीथाध्ययनं, 'बहुबहुतरओ पदग्गेणं'ति तत्र चतुश्चलिकात्मकद्वितीयश्रुतस्कन्धप्रक्षेपाद् बहुः, निशीथाख्यपचमचूलिकामक्षेपाद् बहुतरः '
""
7
A question may here arise as to who incorporated Nisiha in Ayara and who again separated it and restored it to a position of a separate treatise.
See Chap. V.