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after Lord Mahavira had attained omniscience as a result of his spiritual pursuit (1549-2024).
Many problems are discussed in connection with the 26 topics mentioned above, e. g. the doctrine of nayas, the problem of transmigration or mundane life and the causes that can lead to emancipation and the different branches in Jainism itself which tried to conceal the teaching of Mahavira or to twist it to yield another meaning (they are called nihnavas on account of this).* Then after explaining the twelfth point as to what Samayika (conduct, code of life) is acceptable to the different nayas, Jinabhadra comes to the thirteenth point and gives us a detailed discussion of Samayika (2633-2802). The remaining portion of the text of the Viseṣa vasyaka Bhasya gives, like the Avasyaka-Niryukti of which it is a commentary, an exposition of all the six adhyayanas (chapters) of the Avasyaka sūtra.
This brief account will give some idea of the encyclopaedic nature of the Viseṣavasyaka-bhāṣya which, as said before, can be regarded as a compendium of Jaina religion and philosophy. It can also be seen that as in the whole of the Mahabharata, the place of the Bhagavad Gita is unique, so also in the Viseṣavasyaka-bhāṣya, the Ganadharavada occupies a peculiar position and deals with all the main topics of Jaina philosophy and as such can hold its own independently, like the Gita, as a book worthy of being studied by all curious readers.
THE GANADHARAS
By way of an introduction to the philosophical questions of the Gaṇadharas we may give a brief account of their life, etc.
Very little information is obtained from the Agamas in connection with the Ganadharas. We find scattered the names and life span of the Ganadharas in the Samavayanga-sutra. § The Kalpasütrat states that Lord Mahavira had attached to him nine ganas (schools) and eleven ganadharas (chief disciples). *The interested reader is referred to Vi. Bhasya 2296-2620. § Samavayanga, 11, 74, 78, 92, etc. Kalpasūtra (Kalpalata), p. 215.
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