Book Title: History of Canonical Literature of Jainas
Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad
View full book text
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COMPARISON AND EVALUATION
view to imitating the style and modes of expression of the Brahmanical sutra literature."1
May I request these scholars and those who hold similar views to go through my exposition of sutta and to pronounce their verdict in this connection after linking it with the Jaina tradition that every sutta was originally associated with 4 anuyogas and that a sutta has got a number of meanings ?2 Incidentally I may add that some of the Brāhmaṇas and Upanisads are said to be loose in style, wanting in compactness and full of dreary repetitions.3 If so, it is perhaps owing to the mode of the theological style of olden days in India.
Gata-pratyagata-sūtras-One of the striking features of Ayara is that it consists of a number of gata-pratyāgata-sūtras. They may be roughly designated as samavyāptika-sūtras or double-baralled pithy sentences. These sūtras, though simple, are more than forcible in producing a desired effect on the listener. As specimens I may note the following:
" जे लोयं अब्भाइक्खर से अत्ताणं अब्माइक्खइ;
जे अत्ताणं अब्भाइक्खर से लोयं अब्भाइक्खइ.' (s. 23 & 32)
खेयण्णे से असत्थस्स खेयण्णे;
हलो सत्थ जे असत्थस् खे
से दीहलोगसत्थस्स खेयण्णे.” (s. 33 ) जे गुणे से आवट्टे; जे आवट्टे से गुणे . " (s. 41) जे अज्झत्थं जाणइ से बहिया जाणइ;
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जे बहिया जाणइ से अज्झत्थं जाणइ.” (s. 57)
" जे गुणे से मूलट्ठाणे ; जे मूलट्ठाणे से गुणे.” (s. 63) "जहा अंतो तहा बाहिं; जहा बाहिं तहा अंतो.” (s. 94)
""
See The Daśavaikālikasūtra: A Study (p. 19).
Cf. -" occurring in Haribhadra Sūri's com. (p. 4") on Dasaveyāliya.
See Mr. M. C. Modi's introduction (p. xxxvii) to his edition of Angas VIII and IX. This is the designation we come across in Silanka Suri's com. (p. 153) on Ayāra.
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5. दीहलोगसत्थ means fire; for, दीहलोग signifies vanaspati. Similarly एज (s. 56 ) means wind. Words like a (s. 62), (s. 88) etc. may be also noted in this
connection.
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