ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 144

c rya Devasena:
Tattvas ra,
Dar anas ra,
and
c rya Nemicandra:
Nayacakra, rdhan s ra, Bh vasa graha. Gommatas ra, Trilokas ra, Dravyasa graha. Vas nandir vak c ra
Labdhis ra,
Ksapa as ra,
and
10
c rya Vas nandi:
4.2 Prominent vet mbara c ryas and their works
1
c rya Sayyambhava: The Dasavaiy liyya 2 Devardhigani
The Nandis tra K am rama a: c rya Siddhasena: Sanmatitarka. Both the Digambaras and the vet mbara regard him as
their own c rya. c rya Bhadrab hu: The Author of ten Niryuktis 5 Jinabhadragani: The J takalpa and the viseśy va aka bhāsya
c rya Jinad sa The writer of eight Cris Mahattara: c rya Haribhadra: Commentaries on the va yaka, Dasavaik lika, Nandi, Anuyogadv ra,
and Prajn pana. Other works include S vagadhamma and the
Yogas ra, the Samar iccakah and the Dhurt khy na. c rya Hemacandra: abd nu sana, Dravy srayak vya, Yoga stra, Pram amimamsa, etc 9 c rya Um sw ti: Tattv rth dhigama S tra. Both the Digambaras and the vet mbaras
regard him as their own c rya. 10 Up dhy yaya ovijaya: Anek nta vyavastha, tarkabhāṣā, Nayarahasya etc.
8
5.0 Prākrta Narrative Literatures The canon is extremely rich in stories and legends of various types. The reports on the prophets, apostles and saints it contains offer a rich material to the later generations for their literary creations. These legends possesses the unique power of interpreting like for us of consoling us and sustaining us. These legends in chaste, lucid and simple languages cooperate with the benign tendencies in human nature and society and well in their efficacious in making man wiser better and happier. They are again and again treated in countless works in poetic beauty. There are numerous biographies of Rsabha, Santinātha, Aristanemi, Pārsva, Mahāvīra and other Tirtha karas which mostly deal with popular theme in the usual schematic way; and they strive to get for the theme new angles only by additions of new episodes, of stories from the earlier births of the hero and his followers.
But the hagiography of Jainas did not restrict itself from the olden times to describing the life and work of the in founders of religion and those persons who were connected with them, either as devotees or as adversaries, but it included a great number of other legendary personalities in the sphere of their observations. 12 world-rulers and 27 heroes are the main personalities of the traditional world- history besides 24 Tirtha karas. These add up to sixty 1 k purusas. Along with these who appear to be particularly special for Jainas, they also consider heroes known to Hindus, like Bharata, Sagara, R ma, Lakşma a, R va a, as also Balar ma, krs a and Jar sandha.
Jainas have more or less strongly changed the stories of these men and other persons from the epics Rm ya a and Mah bh rata for their purpose; the heroes in these are obviously all pious Jainas and think and act as such. The great number they have come down to us speaks for the strong persons for Jaina reworking and, as we must often say, for distortion of the Br hma ic legends.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0