History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

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

Page 18

CHAPTER I
GENESIS OF THE JAINA SCRIPTURES
It seems that every person, male or female, likes the idea of substantiating his or her views, secular or religious, by quoting some authority or other. This becomes almost a necessity especially for those persons who profess to follow some religion at least and who are anxious to prove the validity and superiority of their religious beliefs. They naturally refer to the original works of their school as the best and final authority and attribute their authorship either to God or to a human being free from any blemishes whatsoever.1
Humanity and religion practically go hand in hand. If so, it is no wonder if we were to find that an enormously big number of religions has come into existence and several of them have become a dead letter by this time so much so that in spite of the advance science can claim to have made we are not in a position to give even a definite list of all these religions, leaving the question of their details apart.
Of the various religions that had their origin and development in India during the last several millenniums and that have not still disappeared, Jainism is here singled out for being treated at length especially owing to its vast and varied literature.
1
-
With these preliminary remarks, I shall now take up the question of the genesis of the Jaina scriptures.
According to Jainism the universe is uncreated and unending. It has neither a beginning nor an end though it undergoes modifications in Such a human being in his own times or thereafter is looked upon as superhuman, and in course of time miraculous and mysterious stories gather round his life.