Historical Development Of Jaina Philosophy And Religion

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Z_Jaina_Literature_and_Philosophy_a_Critical_Approach_001936_HR.pdf

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Historical Development of Jaina Philosophy and Religion
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mention nothing about these three independent c. 12th A.D. It was Yaśovijaya who followed the style Pramāņas. In Svetāmbara tradition, as per my know- of Navyanyāya and for the first time composed ledge, only Siddharşi (c. 9th A. D. ), in his commen- Tarkabhāsā and Nyāyabindu in Navyanyāya style, in tary of Nyāyāvatāra has mentioned the validity of the latter part of c. 17th A.D. In Digambara tradition, these three independent Pramāņas.
Saptabhangitarangani was written by Vimaladas Thus, in Digambara tradition from c. 8th A.D. onowing the same style. and in Svetāmbara tradition by the end of c. 9th A.D.
Thus, we can conclude that it is only from c. memory (smrti). recognition (pratyabhijña) and 3rd A. D.-12th A. D. when Jaina logic made its proinduction (tarka ) were established as independent gress and opened a new vistas for its further developPramāņa. Earliest works on Jaina logic were in brief ment, and mainly concerned with the Jaina concept of Development of the Theory of Non-absolutism Pramāna. Works on Jaina logic, composed later on (Anekāntavāda ) and Syādvāda were a healthy review of the conceptions of Pramāņa
Non-violence in practice, non-absolutistic prevalent in other philosophical traditions. Pātra- approach in thought and conditional predication or svāmi's Trilaksanakadarthana was the first one to qualified assertion (Syavāda ) in speech are the refute the Hetulakṣaṇa of Dinnāga. Vidyānandi pillars upon which the splendid palace of Jainism is (c. 9th A. D.) wrote Pramānaparikṣā to evaluate the erected. Theory of non-absolutism (Anekāntavāda ) characteristics of Pramāna, their divisions and sub- is the central philosophy of Jainism. So far as the divisions, prevalent in other philosophical traditions. historical development of this theory of AnekāntaIn this period some more works pertaining to Jaina vāda is concerned, its historical development can be logic (Pramānaśāstra ) had been composed but seem divided into three phases. Its first phase begins with to be destroyed. In Digambara tradition, Prabhā- the preachings of Mahavira, i. e., c. 6th B. C. and is candra's Nyāyakumudacandra and Prameyakamala- extended upto the composition of Umāsvāti's mārtanda are two of some prominent works Tattvārthasūtra ( first half of the c. 4th A. D.). It was composed in c. 10th-11th A. D. Both of the works are the period of origination of Anekāntavāda. Basically, the commentaries on Akalanka's Laghiyastrayi and in the non-violent and tolerant attitude of Mahāvira helSvetāmbara tradition, Vadidevasüri's Pramāṇanaya- ped much in the development of the non-absolutistic tattvāloka and its commentary Syādvādaratnākara (c. principle of Anekāntavāda. In Sūtrakrtānga, he clearly 11th A. D. ) are well known works on Jaina logic. opines, "one who praises one's own view-point and After that Hemcandra's Pramāna-mimāṁsā (c. 12th discards other's view as a false-one and thus, distorts A. D.) is an important work which mainly deals with the truth will remain confined to the cycle of birth and the concept of pramana though it is incomplete. The death." development of Navya-nyāya (Neo-logistic system)
It follows that Mahavira preached the utterbegins with the entry of Gangesh Upadhyāya in the most carefulness regarding one's speech. In his field of Indian Nyāya in c. 13th A. D. But for four opinion speech should be unassaulting as well as true. centuries the Jaina logicians were unacquainted with He warned his disciple monks against making unwarthis new literary genre and continued to follow the ranted.categorical assertions or negations. He instrucstyle of Vädidevasüri. Thus, the development of Jaina ted them to make only a conditional statement Logic ( Nyāyaśāstra ) remained interrupted after (Vibhajjavāya Vagarejja ). It is the Vibhajjavāda