Gandharavada

Author(s): Esther A Solomon
Publisher: Gujarat Vidyasabha

Page 22

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The Jaina philosophers were by no means quiet or inert in this period. It is quite likely that it was this atmosphere of controversy and debate that inspired Unāsyati to give a systematic treutment of the Jaina system of thought in bis Tattvarthasutra. But he merely stated the tenets and did not enter into any controversy, which only his commentators, Akalanka, Vidyānanda and others indulged in. It was, again, in this period that the Nyàyávatāra of Siddhasena Diva kara, the first systematic though brief manual of Jaina logic, was written, as also Sarmati Tarka by the same author, giving an exposition of the theory of Nayas (points of view or approach) which forms the very cornerstone of the Jaina system of thought with its catholicity of outlook accomodating the different approaches in the picture of the total reality. But we cannot say of Siddhasena or even of Samantabbadia that they have gone into the nicetics of thought; they have stated the brcad facts (f the Jaina system of thought. They cannot be given the status of worthy opponents cr rivals of Dinnāga or Kumārila or Uddyolakara. We find clear evidence of this spirit of rivalry only in the Aștasahasrī of Vidyānanda which is a commentary on the Aştašati of Akalanka, a commentary on the Aptamimamsa of Samantabhadra. But this is not true of Jinabhadra to whom we can accord the place of honour of being the first to have the grit to take up cudgels against the rival systems; as also against those of his own school who were apt in certain respects to bold views which did not represent the true spirit of the Agamas. A study of the Gañadharavada will illustrate this. He has given a thorough exposition in his Višeşa vasyakabhâsy, of the Jaina topics and also explained the Jaina position as regards logic and Non-absulutism. His reasoning is sound and appealing and we find later philosophers like Haribbadra (8th cent.) and Yaśovijaya (17th cent.) putting forth the same arguments - may be in a different garb.
It can be said of the Viśasāvaśyakablāşya that it gives us the very essence of the Jainā Agamas, as the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa gives us the very sum and substance of the Buddhist Pițakas. What is more, Jinabhadra has subjected the