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
languages. It is a term to be met with in the Vaidika literature wherein it signifies the six auxiliary sciences (helpful in the study of the Vedas) viz. (1) Sikṣā (phonetics), (2) Chandas (prosody), (3) Vyakarana (grammar), (4) Nirukta (philology), (5) Kalpa (ritualism) and (6) Jyotis (astronomy). In the Bauddha literature, too, we come across this word. For instance, in the Majjhimanikäya 22 (I, p. 133) and in several passages in the Anguttaranikaya,' there is mention of a division of the Canon into 9 Angas viz.. (1) Sutta (prose sermons), (2) Geyya (sermons in a mixture of prose and verse), (3) Veyyakarana (explanations, commentaries), (4) Gāthā (stanzas), (5) Udana (pithy sayings), (6) Itivuttaka (short speeches beginning with the words 'Thus spake the Buddha'), (7) Jätaka (stories of the former births of Buddha), (8) Abbhutadhamma (reports of miracles) and (9) Vedalla (teachings in the form of questions and answers). This is what is suggested by the late Prof. Winternitz in his work entitled A History of Indian Literature (vol. II, p. 10). He there adds:
"This division does not allude to a canon complete in itself, or to definite books, but is only meant to classify the various types of Buddhist texts according to their form and contents."
As already noted, in the Jaina literature, too, we find this word." Herein, it stands for a limb of the śruta-purusa, there being 12 such limbs, in all.
Under these circumstances, it is difficult to say as to which school first used this term 'Anga' and as to which school subsequently borrowed it. Prof. M. V. Patwardhan, however remarks:
"The Svetämbara Jains have also borrowed the term Amga from their Brahmanical opponents, to denote the first twelve principal works of their canon, while the Digambara Jains have also borrowed the term Veda from the same source, to denote the principal divisions of their sacred literature.""
It hardly remains to be added that the canonical texts that go by the name of 12 Angas form the very first and fundamental group out of six, and that all the 12 Angas are mentioned in Samavaya (s.14 and
1. Cf. the lines reproduced from the com. on Anuogaddära on p. 27.
2. For instance see p. 21 and the following line from Vivägasuya (1):
"दसमस्स अङ्गस्स पण्हावागरणाणं अयम पत्रत्ते, एक्कारसमस्स णं भन्ते ! अङ्गस्स विवागसुयस्स"
3. See The Daśavaikālikasūtra: A study (pp. 19-20)
4. "आयारे १ सूयगडे २ ठाणे ३ समवाए ४ विवाहपत्रत्ती ५ नायाधम्मकहाओ ६ उवासगदसाओ ७ अंतगडदसाओ ८ अणुत्तरोबवाइदसाओ ९ पण्हाबागरणं १० विवागसुए ११ दिडिवाए १२५