History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

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

Page 208

THE CANONICAL EXEGETICAL LITERATURE
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(ii) Saṁsattanijjutti is not a Nijjutti on any work, and same is the case with Ārāhaņānijjutti.
(iii) The Nijjutti on Āvassaya should not be confounded with Āvassayanijjutti forming the seventh section of Mūlāyāra, a Digambara work attributed to Vattakera. For, this seventh section is not a com. on any work belonging to either the Švetāmbara school or the Digambara one, though it is true that it resembles Bhadrabāhusvämin's Nijjutti on Avassaya in several respects. For instance, both are divided into six sections corresponding to (i) Sāmāya, (ii) Caüvisatthava, (iii) Vandanaya, (iv) Padikkamana, (v) Paccakkhāna, and (vi) Kāüssagga, the six well-known divisions of Avassaya. Besides, they deal with the same subject, and that, too, in gāthās in Prāksta.
Order-We may now take up the question as to the order in which Bhadrabāhusvämin composed his Nijjuttis. Leaving aside the Nisihanijjutti, the 10 Nijjuttis appear to be composed in the very order mentioned by him in Āvassayanijjutti (v. 82-83). As noted on p. 188 Āvassayanijjutti was composed earlier than Ayāranijjutti, and the latter and Sūyagadanijjutti, too, are posterior to Dasaveyāliyanijjutti and Uttarajjhayananijjutti (vide p. 189, fn.2-4). Further this last one is preceded by Dasaveyaliyanijjutti (vide p. 188). Padmamandira Ganil however strikes a different notel but adduces no arguments to support his statement. But I am inclined to side with Sīlänka Suri and Vādivetāla śānti Sūri and not with this Gani. Further, for the following reasons, I am led to believe that out of ten, Avassayanijjutti is composed first : (1) All the entrances such as uddesa etc., (vide p. 193) are treated
at length in Uvagghāyanijjutti, a section of this Nijjutti. (II) This Uvagghāyanijjutti is referred to in the Nijjuttis of other
Agamas. (III) No Nijjutti except the Avassayanijjutti is as complete as desired. 1. This Gani in his com. on Isimandalapayaraña—the com. dated Samvat 1553 says :
"क्रमाद् दशचतुःपूर्ववेदी सूरिगुणाग्रणी: । भद्रबाहुर्यशोभदैय॑स्त: सूरिपदक्रमे ।। दशवैकालिकस्याचाराङ्ग-सूत्रकृताङ्गयोः । उत्तराध्ययन-सूर्यप्रज्ञप्त्योः कल्पकस्य च ।। व्यवहारर्षिभाषितावश्यकानामिमाः क्रमाद् । दशाश्रुताख्यस्कन्धस्य नियुक्तीर्दश सोऽतनोत् ।।"
at 1