History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

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

Page 185

THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
In the beginning there are 47 verses. Of them the 1st is an eulogy of a Tirthankara. This is followed by two verses whereby Lord Mahāvīra is praised. Then we have 14 verses which glorify the Jaina church (Sangha) by comparing it with a city, a wheel, a chariot, a lotus, the moon, the sun, a sea, and Mandara (Meru) mountain. Verses 18-19 mention the names of the 24 Tirthankaras of the present Avasarpiņi as is done in Viahapanṇatti (II, 6; s. 676). Similarly verses 20-21 supply us with the names of Lord Mahāvīra's 11 Gaṇadharas. In v. 22 his śāsana is extolled. Verses 23-43 form a Therāvalī. Herein the following 27 saints are praised :
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(1) Suhamma, (2) Jambū, (3) Pabhava, (4) Sijjambhava, (5) Jasabhadda, (6) Sambhūya, (7) Bhaddabāhu, (8) Thulabhadda, (9) Mahāgiri, (10) Suhatthi,1 (11) Bahula, (12) Saï, (13) Sāmajja, (14) Sandilla, (15) Jiyadhara,2 (16) Ajja Samudda,3 (17) Ajja Mangu, (18) Ajja Nandila khamana, (19) Ajja Nāgahatthi,4 (20) Revaïnakkhatta, (21) Bambhaddīvaga Siha, (22) Khandila, (23) Himavanta, (24) Nāgajjuna, (25) Bhūyadinna, (26) Lohicca and (27) Dūsa Gani.
Verse 44 deals with 14 illustrations which deal with various types of pupils. It occurs as v. 1454 in Visesă° and v. 334 in Kappabhāsa. This is followed by 3 verses,5 which point out the 3 types of the audience viz. intelligent, unintelligent and foolishly puffed up. Then we have mostly in prose a detailed exposition of the five kinds of knowledge. In the end there are 5 verses some of which occur in Visesão, too.
Deva Vācaka, pupil of Duṣya Gani is looked upon as the author of this work, and some identify him with Devarddhi Gaṇi kṣamāśramaṇa. 1. “ सुहत्थिस्स सुट्ठित-सुप्पडिबद्धादयो आवलीते जहा दसासुते तहा भाणियव्वा, इह तेहिं अहिगारो नत्थि । महागिरिस्स आवलीए अधिगारो || " Nandicunni (pp. 6-7)
2. Some believe this to be an attribute of Sandilla. -Ibid., (p.7)
3. He is spoken of as effe by Haribhadra Suri in his com. (p. 16) on Nandi.
4. He is said to be an author of a grammar or Praśnavyakarana, Bhangika, and Kammapayadi. - Ibid., pp. 16-17.
5 Of them, the first two may be compared with v. 366 and 367 of Kappabhāsa and the 3rd tallies with its v. 371.
6. Certain narrations indicated in this Agama have been compared by Kalipada Mitra in his article "Some tales of ancient Isarael, their Originals and Parallels" published in "The Indian Historical Quarterly" (Vol. XIX, Nos. 3-4)