History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 185

168
A HISTORY OF THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
the existence of this work. It points out some of its verses and attributes their authorship to Bhadrabāhusvāmin. It has been practically superseded by Nisthabhāsa wherein these verses have got amalgamated.
Before we proceed further and examine the order of the Nijjuttis we may note :
(i) Ohanijjutti and Pindanijjutti are not separate Nijjuttis.
(ii) Saṁsattanijjutti is not a Nijjutti on any work, and same is the case with Arāhanānijjutti.
(iii) The Nijjutti on Āvassaya should not be confounded with Avassayanijjuti forming the seventh section of Mülāyāra, a Digambara work attributed to Vattakera. For, this seventh section is not a comme work either belonging to the Svetāmbara school or the Digambara one, though it is true that it resembles Bhadrabāhusvāmin's Nijjutti on Avassaya in several respects. for instance, both are divided into six sections corresponding to (i) Sāmāïya, (ii) Caüvisatthava, (iii) Vandanaya, (iv) Padikkamana, (v) Paccakkhāna, and (vi) Kaüssagga, the six well-known divisions of Avassaya. Besides, they deal with the same subject, and that, too, in gāthās in Prākrta.
Order - We may now take up the question as to the order in which Bhadrabāhusvāmin composed in Nijjuttis. Leaving aside the Nisthanijjutti, the 10 Nijjuttis appear to be composed in the very order mentioned by him in Āvassayanijjuti (v. 82-83). As noted on p. 166 Āvassayanijjuti was composed earlier than Ayāranijjutti, and the latter and Sūyagadanijjutti, too, are posterior to Dasaveyāliyanijjutti and Uttarajjhayananijjutti (vide p. 166, fn. 7-9). Further this last one is preceded by Dasaveyāliyanijjutti (vide p. 165). Padmamandira Gani' however strikes a different note but adduces no arguments to support his statement. But I am inclined to side with śīlańka Sūri and Vādivetāla sānti Sūri and not with this Gani. Further, for the following reasons, I am led to believe that out of ten, Avassayanijjuti is composed first :
(1) All the entrances such as uddesa etc., (vide p. 170) are treated at length in Uvagghāyanijjutti, a section of this Nijjutti.
(II) This Uvagghayanijjutti is referred to in the Nijuttis of other Agamas.
1. This Gani in his com. on Isimandalapayarana —the com. dated Samvat 1553 says :
"क्रमाद् दशचतुःपूर्ववेदी सूरिगुणाग्रणीः । भद्रबाहुर्यशोभदैय॑स्तः सूरिपदक्रमे ॥ दशवैकालिकस्याचाराङ्ग-सूत्रकृताङ्गयोः । उत्तराध्ययन-सूर्यप्रज्ञप्त्योः कल्पकस्य च ॥ व्यवहारर्षिभाषितावश्यकानामिमाः क्रमाद् । दशाश्रुताख्यस्कन्धस्य नियुक्तीर्दश सोऽतनोत् ।।"