History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

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

Page 195

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A HISTORY OF THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
commentary on it in Samvat 1227. As regards its upper limit, it is certainly posterior to the date of the composition of Jiyakappa by Jinabhadra Gani.
As regards the remaining Cunnis, I may simply say that those on Ayara, Sūyagada and Pancakappa are described by me in D. C. J. M. (vol. XVII) whereas the Cunnis on Jivājīvābhigama, Ohanijjutti and Pakkhiyasutta are noted in Jaina Granthāvali etc., and one on Mahānistha in Catalogue of Mss. at Jeselmere (p. 23).
It may be remarked that the Cunnis on various Agamas are said to be belonging to a period running from the 4th century to the 8th of the Vikrama era.
Before dealing with Tikā we may note that out of the terms Nijjutti, Bhāsa and Cunni, the first does not appear to have been used for a commentary on any one of the non-Agamika works. Such is not however the case with the terms Bhāsa and Cunni; for, they are used for other works, too, though seldom. As the typical examples may be mentioned the following works for which Bhāsa is composed :
(1) Kammatthaya, (2) Sadasū, (3) Sayaga, (4) Sāddhasayaga and (5) Sittari.
Out of these works, there is a Cunni for all except the first and the second. Further there are Cunnis for Kammapayadi, Samanovāsagapadikkamana
s it will be seen that the non-Āgamika works of which the commentaries are styled as Bhāsa and Cunni are few and far between, and at least, so far as the Svetāmbara literature is concerned, these terms seem to have been used for works of sufficient antiquity.
It may not be amiss to note that the three works viz. Ceiyavandanabhāsa, Guruvandaņabhāsa and Paccakkhānabhāsa collectively known as Bhâsyatraya and Ceiyavandanamahābhāsa? are not commentaries, though the ending word Bhāsa occurring there seems to suggest that. It is however true that each of them is a small work written in Prakrta in gathas.
As regards Tīkās i.e. the Samskrta commentaries on the Agamas, it may be said that there is at least one commentary for almost every Agama. Further, all the Samskrta commentaries are not available now, and Haribhadra Sūri's commentaries are the first amongst the extant ones. That this Sūri had written two commentaries on Ávassaya and that the extinct commentary, was
1. See its printed edition (p. 59). 2. See D. C. J. M. (vol XVII, pt. III, pp. 290-293). 3. This is a work by śānti Sūri who has not been identified up till now.