History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

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

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A HISTORY OF THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
can be interpreted in another way, too. In order that this may be easily realized, I shall give here two definitions, of sammasuya (Sk. samyak-śruta), and two of micchāsuya (Sk. mithya-śruta), as well. According to the 1st definition the dvādaśāngi and other scriptures based upon it the works which are composed by the Jaina saints of a very high calibre are classed as sammasuya whereas the works composed by the non-Jainas who are wanting in right knowledge are classed as micchâsuya. According to the 2nd definition, all the works included in these two classes are sammasuya so far as a samyagdrsti (one having a right sort of faith) is concerned, whereas they are micchāsuya so far as a mithyādrsti (one having wrong faith) is concerned. Consequently, according to this second definition, any and every sacred work, Jaina or non-Jaina is a Jaina scripture to a samyagdrsti.? But I here do not use the phrase 'Jaina scriptures' in this wide sense but in the previous sense-the restricted sense. That is to say, I interpret Jaina scriptures' as authoritative works composed by eminent Jaina saints such as the Ganadharas, Srutakevalins, Dasapurvadharas, Pratyekabuddhas and the like. To be explicit, I should now enumerate these works.
1. "जं इमं अण्णाणिएहि मिच्छादिट्ठिएहि सच्छंदबुद्धिमइविगप्पिअं तं जहा-भारहं रामायणं भीमासुरक्खं कोडिलयं
सगडभद्दिआओ खोड (? घोडग) मुहं कप्यासिअंनागसुहुमं कणगसत्तरी वइसेसियं बुद्धवयणं तेरासिअं काविलिअं लोगाययं सद्वितंतं माढरं पुराणं वागरणं भागवं पायंजली पुस्सदेवयं लेहं गणिअंसउणरुअंनाडयाई, अहवा बावत्तरि कलाओ चत्तारि अ वेआ सगोवंगा, एआई मिच्छदिट्ठिस्स मिच्छत्तपरिग्गहिआई मिच्छासुअं, एयाइं चेव सम्मदिट्ठिस्स सम्मत्तपरिग्गहिआई सम्मसुअं, अहवा मिच्छदिट्ठिस्स वि एयाई चेव सम्मसुअं, कम्हा ? सम्मत्तहेउत्तणओ, जम्हा ते मिच्छदिडिआ तेहिं चेव समएहि चोइआ समाणा केई सपक्खदिट्ठीओ चयंति, से तं मिच्छासुअं।"
– Nandi (S. 42.) 2. "जं इमं अरहंतेहिं.. पणीअं दुवालसंगं गणिपिडगं .. चोद्दसपुव्विस्स सम्मसुअं अभिण्णदसपुव्विस्स सम्मसुअं, तेण
परं भिण्णेसु भयणा, से तं सम्मसुअं" -Nandi (s. 41.) See also fn 1. 3. This is true in the case of some of the mithyadrstis too, in case works like the Vedas
lead them to the right path and thus enable them to leave the non-Jaina fold and to
become followers of Jainism. See the concluding lines of fn. 1. 4. In this connection, I may quote the following verse :
"अर्हत्प्रोक्तं गणधरहब्धं प्रत्येकबुद्धदृब्धं च । स्थविरग्रथितं च तथा प्रमाणभूतं त्रिधा सूत्रम् ॥" This is quoted by Drona Suri, in his com. (p. 34) on Ohanijjutti in support of his statement as under :"अर्थतस्तीर्थकरप्रणीतं सूत्रतो गणधरनिबद्धं चतुर्दशपूर्वधरोपनिबद्धं दशपूर्वधरोपनिबद्धं प्रत्येकबुद्धोपनिबद्धं च ।" This idea can be seen in the following verse of Vattakerasvamin's Mulayara (V), too :
"सुत्तं गणधरकथिदं तहेव पत्तेयबुद्धिकथिदं च । सुदकेवलिणा कथिदं अभिण्णदसपुव्वकथिदं च ॥८॥ 5. He died in Vira Samvat 170. So says Hemacandra Suri in his Parisistaparvan (IX, 112).