History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

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

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THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
NIRAYĀVALISUYAKKHANDHA
I use this title to indicate a collection of the 5 Uvangas viz. (1) Nirayāvaliā or Kappiyā, (2) Kappavadiṁsayā, (3) Pupphiyā, (4) Pupphacūliyā and (5) Vanhidasā. Dr. Weber and Prof. Winternitz believe that these works are separately counted to make the number of the Uvangas tally with that of the 12 Angas.
Each of these five works except the last consists of 10 ajjhayaņas whereas the last has 12.
Cruel pregnancy longings are described in Kappiyā.
In Kappiya we have lives of Käla and others, the ten sonst of Śrenika. Similarly Kappavadimsayā deals with the lives of their 10 sons.2 Pupphiyā describes 9 gods such as the moon, the sun and others and one goddess viz. Bahuputtiyā whereas Pupphacūliyā furnishes us with some details about 10 goddesses such as Śrī, Hrī, Dhịti and the like.
In Vanhidasã we come across legends of the 12 princes of the Vanhi race. Of them, the 1st deals with Nisadha (Sk. Nisadha), son of Balarama and nephew of Krsna.
NISĪHA3
This Cheyasutta consists of 20 uddesagas. It deals with the rules governing the life to be led by monks and nuns, and prescribes atonements and penances by way of punishment for various transgressions against rules pertaining to begging of alms, etc. This work mentions exceptions to the general rules, too.
MAHANĪSIHA
This Cheyasutta is divided into 8 sections known as ajjhayanas. A three-fold division referred to, in the beginning of this work, is not to be found. There are specific titles for the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th ajjhayanas. They indicate the subject-matter. The 3rd and the 4th 1 They were killed in their fight with their grand-father Cedaga of Vesāli and have
been born in the 4th hell. - Kappiyā 2 They have been born in various heavens. - Kappavadiņsayā 3 Jarl Charpentier says that the title Nisiha, though traditional, is wrong: it ought
to be Niseha.