ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 03

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 216

patient to develop faith in his power and capability to recover /heal. We shall review Jain philosophy, literature to see how healing can be achieved.
Literature:
The earliest sacred literature of Jains called Pūrva, fourteen in number existed even before Mahāvītra (and hence called Pūrva). The twelfth Pūrva is called Prāņāvaya (or science of health). It deals with ways and means of keeping the body fit. It became a part of the 12th limb called Drștivāda during Mahāvīra's time. However both Prāṇāvāya and Drștivāda are now extinct. Still we find traces about keeping physically fit in all Jain sacred texts. Literature on health and curing diseases did not become popular in earlier days as they were considered having false (mithyā) knowledge i.e. not about purification of the soul but about keeping the body fit. So Jain monks and scholars did not write much on the subject. From 2nd century AD onwards, Jain monks/ascetics considered it essential for their followers to know about ways and means of keeping themselves physically fit so that they can perform their spiritual purification and religious duties properly. So we see ācāryas like Nāgārjuna, Samantabhadra, Pūjyapāda (Samādhitantra and Iştopadeśa) in 2nd to 5th centuries AD writing texts exclusively on sickness, causes and treatments. Ugradityācārya in 11th century AD wrote detailed texts called Kalyāṇakāraka which are claimed to be derived from Prāņāvāya.
During the period of Bhaktivāda's popularity, Jain ācāryas like Ācārya Mānatunga (Bhaktāmara-stotra), Ācārya Kumudacandra (Kalyāṇamandira-stotra), Ācārya Vādirāja (Ekibhāva-stotra) and many more wrote hymns seeking relief from worldly pains and curing different ailments of the body. These all became very popular (and are so to date). Later on more than 1000 texts on health, sickness, curing etc have been written by Jain ascetics and scholars who are quoted frequently. Ācāryas like Jinabhadra (6th Century), Rāmsena (11th century in Tattvānuśāsana), śubhacandra (11th century AD in Jňāņārņva), Hemacandra (12th century AD in Yoga Šāstra), Pt. Āsādhara (in 13th century AD Adhyātma Rahasya) and so on till today Acharya Tulsi and Acharya Mahaprajna have emphasized meditation for spiritual and physical well being.
Similarly the story literature of Jains has several stories like Maināsundarī which talk of sicknesses inflicting the Jain practitioners and how they got rid of the same to ultimately achieve liberation. Then we have Ācārya Samantabhadra (suffering from endless urge to
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