History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 137

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THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS That the second suyakkhandha is a later addition to the 1st, is borne out by the following considerations:
(i) As suggested in Āyāranijjutti (v. 287)2 Ayārangas (i. e. to say the 5 Cūlās) have been composed by the Sthaviras the Śrutakevalins3 who extracted them from the 1st suyakkhandha known as Ayāra.
(ii) The sources for the five Cūlās are definitely pointed out in Āyāranijjutti (v. 288-291).4
(iii) Several European scholars hold this view.5
Such being the case I may mention the following particulars by way of a corroborative evidence :
(i) Śīlānka Sūri points out the mangalas, the initial, the middle and the last from the 1st suyakkhandha only.6
1 This cannot be dated later than the composition of Ayäranijjutti.
2. “थेरेहिऽणुग्गहठ्ठा सीसहिअं होउ पागडत्थं च । आयाराओ अत्थो आयारंगेसु पविभत्तो ॥ २८७ ॥"
3 "" स्थविरैः' श्रुतवृद्धैः – चतुर्दशपूर्वविद्भिर्निर्यूढानीति' — Śūlānka's com. (p. 282).
In Ayāracunni (p. 326) on Āyāranijjitti (v. 287) 'thera' is explained as 'ganadhara'. 4 " बिइअस्स य पंचमए अट्ठमगस्स बिइयंमि उद्देसे । भणिओ पिंडो' सिजा वत्थर पाउग्गहो ४-५ चेव ॥ २८८ ॥
पंचमगस्स चउत्थे इरिया' वण्णिज्जई समासेणं । छस्स य पंचमए भासज्जायं वियाणाहि ॥ २८९ ॥
सत्तिक्कगाणि - १४ सत्त वि निज्जूढाई महापरिन्नाओ । सत्थपरिन्ना भावण" निज्जूढाओ धुय विमुत्ती " ॥ २९० ॥ आयारपकप्पो १७ पुण पच्चक्खाणस्स तइयवत्थूओ । आयारनामधिज्जा वीसइमा पाहुडच्छेया ॥। २९१ ।।”
5
In S. B. E. (vol. XXII, intro., p. XLI) it is said: "I am of opinion that the first book of the Acaränga Sutra and that of Sūtrakṛtānga Sūtra may be reckoned among the most ancient parts of the Siddhanta." On p. XLVII we have: "The first book then, is the oldest part of the Acārānga Sūtra; it is probably the old Acaranga Sutra itself to which other treatises have been added."
6
In A History of Indian Literature (vol. II, pp. 435-436) it is said: "The first Anga is the Ayāramga-Sutta. In two lengthy sections (śruta-skandha) it treats of the way of life (āyāra, Sansk. ācāra) of a monk. The first section, which makes a very archaic impression, is most decidedly earlier than the second, and yet even the first is a mosaic pieced together from heterogeneous elements." On p. 437 it is said: "Section II of the Ayaramga is a much later work, as can be seen by the mere fact of the subdivisions being described as Cūlās, i.e., "appendices".
2
See introduction (p. XLVII) to S. B. E. (vol. XXII). Here it is said: "Silanka points out as such the first sentence of the first lesson of the first lecture, the first sentence of the fifth lesson of the fifth lecture, and the latter half of the 16th verse in the fourth lesson of the eighth lecture of the first book."