Book Title: History of Canonical Literature of Jainas
Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad
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THE EXTANT ĀGAMAS OF THE JAINAS
149
From v.3-4 of Pannavanā composed by some one else and incorporated in this Agama we learn that this Uvanga is composed by Arya Syāma who is the 23rd successor of Sudharmasvāmin and a Pürvadhara.
SŪRAPANŅATTI This Uvanga is a work on astronomy from the Jaina standpoint. It is divided into 20 sections each of which is styled as pähuda. This is likely to remind one of the sub-divisions of the Puvvas. The importance of this work for the study of the ancient Indian astronomy has been emphasized by various European scholars; e. g. Prof. H. Jacobi (S. B. E. vol. XXII, introduction p. XL), Prof. E. Leumann (Bezeihungen der Jaina-Literatur zu Andern Literatur-kreisen Indiens, pp. 552-553) and Dr. G. Thibaut (Astronomie, Astrologie and Mathematik and J. A. S. B. vol. XLIX, p. 108).
This work deals with the moon, too. So Prof. Winternitz is inclined to believe that "it almost looks as though the original Canda-pan been worked into the Sūra-Pannatti". Vide A History of Indian Literature (vol. II, p. 467).
JAMBUDDĪVAPANNATTI This is so to say a work on Jaina cosmology. It is divided into seven sections, each known as vakkhakkāra. In the 3rd section there is a description of Bhāratavarsa (India), and therein the legends about King Bharata are treated at length. According to Leumann (Z. D. M. G. vols. 48 and 82) "they can be called an exactly parallel text to Visnu-Purana II and Bhāgavata-Purāna V."2 On p. 108a the 32 laksaņas (characteristics of a male) are noted.
CANDAPANNATTI This work as it is available now differs very very little from Sūriyapannatti, and such a state of affairs existed at least in the time of Jinaprabha Sūri as can be seen from his Siddhāntāgamastava (v. 26). All the same since Malayagiri Sūri has commented upon it, and since this work is noted in Thāna (II, 1; p. 126), Nandi (s. 44), etc., there must have existed in olden days some work of this name. 1 This name occurs in various treatises. Malayagiri Sūri has however mentioned
"Sūriyapannati' while explaining it in his com. (p. 205a) on Nandi. 2 Vide A History of Indian Literature (vol. II, p. 457).
vide yapannatia was in various
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