History of Jaina Monachism

Author(s): S B Deo
Publisher: Deccan College Research Institute

Page 26

HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
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JAIN also refers to another tradition which advocates the view that 'no canon was lost during the period' but persons other than Arya Skandila who were well-versed in the canon had met with death in the famine.45
The canon as compiled by this council goes under the name of Mathuri
vācanā.
The Council of Valabhi:
On the strength of the evidence of the Jyotiskarandaka Tikā, JAIN refers to another council held at Valabhi under one Nagarjunasuri who seems to have been a contemporary of Arya Skandila, with a view of collecting the then extant portions of the canon. It seems, however, that these two leaders could not get an opportunity to come together for the final verification and fixing up of the authoritative readings, and the difference seems to have. remained right upto the second council of Valabhi.
One point may be noted here regarding the first Valabhi council. We may accept the tradition which speaks of Nagarjuna and the Valabhi council. But the date which is ascribed to it does not seem to be correct as it falls in the fourth century A.D., it being a contemporary council with that held at Mathura under Skandila. However, the earliest reference to Valabhi hitherto known, is in 501 A.D. It, therefore, does not seem to have existed much earlier, as it was founded possibly after the death of Skandagupta, i.e., about 470 A.D.
The Second Council of Valabhi:
The present form of the Svetambara Jaina canon owes its compilation and classification to another council at Valabhi held in the beginning of the sixth century A.D. (980 or 993 years after Mahavira's death), under the presidentship of Devardhiganin Kṣamāśramaņa. The council made sincere efforts to collect all the available material, and it was then finally written down. In doing so, however, Devardhi took into consideration oral traditions, and old readings, and variants from the followers of Nagarjuna and others were also recorded. It may be noted that this council could not get any trace of the twelfth Anga which was said to contain the Pūrvās.
The Date of the Canon:
Historically speaking, therefore, the period ascribed to the Svetambara canon does not seem to go beyond the sixth century A.D. But taking into consideration the role of Devardhi as that of a mere redactor, and the fact
45. Life in Ancient India, pp. 32-33.
46. E. I., XVI, 17.