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ŚVETAMBARA CANONICAL LITERATURE
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Bhadrabāhu. There is also the magnificent Viseșāvaśyakabhāsya259 by Jinabhadragaội written in Saka 531 and the cūrņ7260 by Jinadāsagani Mahattara, a work of the seventh century AD. We have a tīkā261 by Haribhadra (eighth century) and also quite a number of later commentaries. From the historian's point of view, however, the poem does not seem to be of much importance. However, for a student of Jaina monachism this text is of great significance. The Dasavaikālika,262 according to tradition, was composed by the Brāhmaṇa Nirgrantha ascetic Sayyambhava (Sejjambhava) for his son Manaka. This Sayyambhava was a resident of Rājagrha,263 and a disciple of Prabhava, who in turn was a pupil of Jambūsvāmin. Sayyambhava, therefore, should be assigned to the early fourth century BC, and this poem should be regarded as a product of that date. It has an extremely valuable niryukt1264 by Bhadrabāhu, a curņ7265 by Jinadāsagani, and a tīka2hh by Haribhadra. There are altogether twelve adhyayanas including two cūlikās. Like the Uttarādhyayana, this poem is full of noble sentiments. There are verses which could only be composed by a supreme poet-philosopher. Most of the verses speak of the monastic life to be led by a Jaina monk. However, the teachings of Sayyambhava, I feel, are meant for every right-thinking monk or even worldly people. The poem has a universal appeal.
There are altogether six Chedasūtras; they are-Nisītha, Mahāniśītha, Vyavahāra, Dāśāśrutaskandha, Brhatkalpa, and Pancakalpa. The Chedasūtras may be compared with the Buddhists Vinaya texts, although they are somewhat later works.
The first Chedasūtra is the Nišitha,267 which is the largest text of this group and was originally the fifth section of the second Śrutaskandha of the Ācārānga. It is also known as the Acāraprakalpa. It has a niryukti, 268 a bhāsya269 by Sanghadāsagani, and cūrni by Jinadāsa. 270 The text has altogether twenty chapters. Unlike many other Jaina canonical texts, this work throws considerable light on the social, religious, and cultural condition of India at the time of its composition. In a very large number of sūtras the monk is asked not to be tempted by women who are always ready to destroy their chastity. Several festivals are mentioned in the eighth chapter, including those mentioned elsewhere in the Jaina canon.
The Mahānisitha271 is probably the work of a somewhat later period and is closely linked with the Nisītha. Jinabhadragani Ksamāśramana, who lived in the sixth century AD, is said to have rescued this text from complete destruction. 272 Several Jaina savants
