History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

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

Page 96

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THE EXTINCT AGAMAS OF THE JAINAS time the knowledge of the Puvvas went on getting curtailed so much so that by Vīra Samvat 1000 all the Puvvas got forgotten, and thus Ditěthivāya became extinct.1
It may be noted that in this cycle of time, there is no intermediate stage so far as the reduction of the knowledge from 14 Puvvas to 10 Puvvas is concerned. For, there has flourished none who knew 13, 12 or 11 Puvvas. So says Drona Sūri in his com. (p. 3a)2 on Ohanijjutti.
Some believe that Nāgahastin or his contemporary knew five Puvvas, and that Skandila, Himavanta, Nagarjuna, Govinda Vācaka, Samyamavisnu, Bhūtadinna, Lohitya Sūri, Düsya Gani and Devarddhi Gani Ksamāśramana and several Cūrnikāras, knew at least the first Puvva over and above the 11 Angas.3
It may not be amiss if we were to take a note of what the Digambaras say regarding the gradual loss of the 14 Puvvas. There is no unanimity of opinion in this connection; for, different versions are given in different works. Subhacandra's Angapannatti, BrahmaHemacandra's Suyakkhandha, Indranandi's Śrutāvatāra, Jinasena's Adipurāņa, Uttarapurāņa, Harivaṁśapurāna and some of the Digambara Pattāvalīs in Prākrta may be cited as instances. This is not the place where I can try to examine each of them separately and come to any definite conclusion by attempting reconciliations where possible. I shall therefore remain contented by giving only one version in this connection - the version noted in Jaina Satya Prakāśa (I, 7, pp. 213-214). Therein it is said: In Vira Samvat 62 Jambūsvāmin attained liberation. He was the last kevalin. Visnukumāra, Nandimitra, Aparajita, Govardhana and Bhadrabāhusvāmin I were conversant with 14 Puwas. This brings us down to a period upto Vira Samvat 162. Then came the era when we had persons who knew only 10 Puvvas. Their names are: Visakha, Prosthila, Ksatriya, Jaya, Nāgasena, Siddhārtha, Dhrtisena, Vijaya, Buddhilla, Deva (Gangadeva) and Dharmasena. This covers a period upto Vira Saṁvat 345. In Śrutāvatāra it is said that in the time of Nāgahastin, some one knew at least five Puvvas. Ācārya Dharasena is said to be conversant with
1 2 3
"geta of ata 'ra'ah Hita itafaqurte daruraami pri ATHERİ Gourg staff ," See p. 18, fn. 1. See Muni Darsana vijaya's article entitled as "Fair TET ?" and published in Jaina Satya Prakāśa (1, I, p. 15).