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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF JAINISM
tioned inscription that be belonged to the Nivrtti kula.
The Viśeșāvasyakabhāsya 27 is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable creations from the doctrinal point of view. In his other work, the sitakalpabhāsya, this great Jaina savant has also demonstrated his great erudition.328 The later writers had great deference for this Jaina philosopher. 329
Sanghadāsagani is the reputed author of the Brhatkalpabhāsya, Niśīthabhāsya and Vyavahārabhāşya. According to a few, he should be identified with Sanghadāsagani Vācaka, the author of the first half of the Vasudevahindī, a Prākrta romance.330 There is no reason331 why this identification should be rejected. If we accept this identification, we have to place Sanghadāsa before Jinabhadra, who in his Visesanavat732 has referred to the Vasudevahindi. That author has further shown his intimate acquaintance with the Vyavahārabhāsya.333
The Brhatkalpabhāsya 34 is a work of considerable length. It has altogether 6490 verses and it is divided into six parts. It refers to preceptor Kālakācārya of Ujjayini who, according to it,935 went to Suvarnabhūmi (Burma). This Kālakācārya was a contemporary of Gardhabhila of Ujjayini, and appears to have lived in the first century BC. This text also refers to the thriving state of Jainism in the Mathurā region. There are also a few romantic verses in this poem which attest that the Jaina monks perfectly understood sentiments connected with the heart. This text also throws some light on the coinage of those days. According to it, the value of two silver coins of Dakṣiṇāpatha was equivalent to one nelaka of Kāñcipura, and that of two silver coins of Kanci was equivalent to one silver coin of Pataliputra city:336 This work also refers to the devanirmita stupa of Mathurā, which has already been discussed in a previous chapter.
The Niśithabhāşya"7 has a very large number of verses that are in common with those in the Vyavahāra and Byhatkalpabhāsya. In the beginning of this commentary we have the story of the four cunning people (dhūrta), which was afterwards used by Haribhadra in his Dhurtākhyāna. It also refers to the philosopher Siddhasena and the commentator Govindavācaka, who composed the Govindaniryukti.338 A few poetic and romantic verses are also to be found in this bhāsya. It also refers to Tālodaka (lake) of Tosali and the hot-spring of Rājagsha. The Vyavahārabhāsya?39 is also a work of considerable size. There are many verses against women which remind us of the Smrti writers. We further learn that people
