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
to improve this situation was however later on made by the councill that met at Valabhī, under the able presidentship of Devarddhi Gani Ksamāśramana, after the terrible famine which had lasted for 12 years, came to an end. At this council, all the important works of the Jainas then available were written down. This event is technically known as pustakārohana of the Jaina Āgamas or "Redaction of the Jaina Canon'. It appears that the Skāndilīyas who had attended this council believed that this Redaction of the Jaina canon could be dated as Vira Samvat 980 whereas the Nāgārjunīyas said that the correct date was Vira Samvat 993 (vide p. 64, II. 4-6)3. Thus this difference had its origin in the fact that some saints thought that 980 years had then elapsed since the nirvana of Lord Mahāvīra, whereas others thought that 993 years had elapsed. Whatever may be the exact date, this Redaction of the Canon has been a momentous event in the Jaina annals. Its importance lies in the following particulars :
(i) Not only were the works written formerly at Mathurā and Valabhī again written and codified, but some more were written. Of course, we have
1. This is thus the 3rd council that tried to restore the Jaina sciptures, and in a way it
is the 4th, in case we admit that a council had met at Pataliputra in the life-time of Sthūlabhadra. Some believe that the following rendering of the Hāthīgumpha inscription of the Emperor Khāravela suggests this :"The four-fold Anga-saptika of 64 sections lost in the time of the Maurya king, he restores."-J. B. O. R. S. (IV, p. 236). In A His. of Ind. Lit. (vol. II, p. 431 n) it is said : "If Sten Konow (Acta Or. 1, 1922, p. 20 ff.) is right in his explanation of the Hāthīgumpha inscription of Khāravela, then this inscription would furnish a confirmation of the Jaina tradition regarding the Council of Pāțaliputra and the Ditthivāya, and King Khāravela (170 B. C. ?) would in that case have compiled a recension of the Angas in 64 sections. Konow's explanation is ingenious, but very much open to doubt." Turning to the Bauddha literature, we find paralles to these Jaina councils. For instance as noted in A His. of Ind. Lit. (vol. II, pp. 4 and 5) 3 councils were convened in connection with the restoration and adjustment of the Baudha scriptures : The 1st council was organized by the immediate disciples of Lord Buddha and was held in the city of Rājagaha (modern Rajgir), the 2nd was held at Veśāli, 100 years after the nirvāna of Lord Buddha; and the 3rd was convened in the time of King Asoka when the compilation
of a real canon of the sacred texts of the Bauddhas was undertaken. 2. "श्रीदेवद्धिगणिक्षमाश्रमणेन श्रीवीरादशीत्यधिकनवशत (९८०) वर्षे जातेन द्वादशवर्षी यदुर्भिक्षवशाद
बहतरसाधुव्यापत्तौ बहुश्रुतविच्छित्तौ च जातायां...भविष्यद्भव्यलोकोपकाराय श्रुतभक्तये च श्रीसङ्गाग्रहाद् मृतावशिष्टतदाकालीनसर्वसाधून् 'वलभ्या'माकार्य तन्मुखाद्विच्छिन्नावशिष्टान् न्यूनाधिकान् त्रुटितानुत्रुटितानागमालापकाननुक्रमेण स्वमत्या सङ्कलय्य पुस्तकारूढाः कृताः । ततो मूलतो गणधरभाषितानामपि आगमानां कर्ता
sita al fut 171944 Ta gla: 1" -- Sāmācāriśataka of Samayasundara 3. Cf. "alftafurnia Bits FTTTTTT" (pp. 118-119).(Jalor V. S. 1987 / A. D.1931)