ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04

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

Page 555

7.0.h
Pa c stik ya "Ancient book of reality"
Dr. Anekant Jain
Pa c thik ya (Pac stik ya) is an ancient and important text of Jain's which is composed in old classical Indian language named 'Pr k ta' and specifically in'aurseni Pr k ta' (an important part of the Pr k ta language). This work is composed by the famous Jain c rya Kunda kunda in 1" century A.D.
The Pa c stik ya, as it is specified by its brief title, is one of the important works of Kunda Kunda who occupies unique position, next only to Lord Mah vra and his Ga adhara Gautam, in the south Indian Jaina tradition. It deals with Jain metaphysics, ontology and ethics, i.e. exposition of the path leading to liberation. The text is in Pr krit g th s/verses and it mentions its title in two places: Pa cattiya - sa gaha (Pa C stika-sa graha) in g th No. 103, and elsewhere, in No. 173, suttam (s tram) is tacked on to it, and in both the places it is qualified by Pavaya asaram (pravacanas ram). Though the brief title is more popular, some have used the title Sanskrit like Pa C stik ya - Sra. In this edition they are allowed to return as they are, inherited from earlier sources.
In Pa C stikaya, the five astik yas or existents (va, pudgala, dharma, adharma and k a), which are different from k la, are explained. In this text there is an authentic explanation of the nature of dravya (substance), division of dravya, Saptabhangi, g a (attributes), pary ya (modes) and in the first section /adhik ra there is an exposition of the substance, attributes and modes. In the second section, there is a clear analysis of the nine entities (pad rthas) called: merit (pu ya), demerit (p pa), living being (j va), non living being (aj va), influx ( arva), bondage (bandha), stoppage (sa vara), dissociation (nirjar ) and liberation (mok a); and the mok a -m rga (path of liberation) is also explained. According to the commentary of Crya Am tacandra, there are 173 g ths in it, whereas according to Ac rya Jayasena, there are 181 g th s.
Commentaries: - A number of commentaries in Sanskrit by Am tacandr ch rya; Brahmadeva, Devajitu, Jayasena, Jnacandra, Malli e a and Prabh candra are known. Those of Am tacandra and Jayasena are already printed and well known. There is a commentary of B lacandra in old - Kannada language; but, so far, it is not published. Some expositions of this work in Hindi have been composed by Hemar ja (Samvat 1700) R jamallu (Samvat 1716), Hr canada (Samvat 1718) and Vidhicanda (Samvat 1891).
About the author - Kunda Kunda, the author of this work, was a very famous Jaina philosopher and theologian. He was also a great organizer of religious institutions. His name is held in great veneration especially by the Digambara section of the Jains. Many great religious teachers claimed it an honour to trace their lineage from the great teacher Kunda kunda. Several inscriptions that are found in south India belong to Kundakund mn ya-or the line of Kunda Kunda. Students of Jaina literature are familiar with such phrases as the following: - Kundakunda - gurupatta - parampar y m;r Kundakunda - sant nam, r - Kundakund khyam n ndra - va a. These are some of the phrases claimed by Jaina writers such as Sakalabh a a, author of Upade aratnam 1, Vasunandi, author of Up sak dhyyana, Brahmanemidatta of rdhan - kath ko a. Instances may be multiplied without number, for showing the important place occupied by our author in the hierarchy of Jaina teachers/preceptors. Some of the epithets employed to characterize him are also significant of his great importance. Sumindra, the Indra among the ascetics, Mnicakravarti the emperor among the m nis, Kaunde a, Lord Ku da, are familiar designations of the great preceptor
The personality of this great preceptor, as is generally the case with world famous individuals, is lost in obscurity and shrouded with traditions to have a glimpse of this great person. The early history of India is but a string of speculations and even as such there are very many gaps. Under these circumstances, we have to be very cautions about the history of our author.' After many discussions a group of scholars decided 1st century A.D. for the Kunda Kunda's period.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0