Introducing Jainism

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 30

INTRODUCING JAINISM
so strong indeed that the famous Jaina scholar Haribhadra (705-775 A.D.) nearly at the end of this period composed works and commentaries in Sanskrit. “The Jaina philosophy received in these days greater emphasis on its logical side, and we know of such keen intellects as Siddhasena, Akalanka, Pujyapāda and others formulating Jaina dogmatics in a more logical form, defending it against the views of the rival philosophical schools and developing the doctrines of Syādvāda and Nayavāda with admirable skill and wonderful subtlety."37
It was in the same period that the Digambaras cultivated their literary activities in the South.38 They still used both Prakrit and Sanskrit. The Digambara scholars belonging to this period are Bhattakera, the author of Mulācāra, which describes the rules of conduct of the Jain monks, Svāmi Kārttikeya, the author of the Duādaśānuprekşā, which deals with the twelve reflections on the glaring shortcomings of this mundane life, Yativrsabha, the author of Tiloyapannatti, which describes the comprehensive survey of Jaina cosmography. Some Digambara scholars also started writing in Sanskrit. We may mention the names of Samanatabhadra, Akalanka, Pujyapāda, Mānatunga and others. It is a fact worth noting that it was in this period that the karmadoctrine of the Jainas got its prominence.
VII. Spread of Jainism
Historically the starting point of Jainism was Magadha sometime in the sixth and fifth centuries B.C. But by the end of the third century A.D. at the time of Imperial Unity, Jainism spread throughout India. To the south-east it went to Kalinga, and to the south to Deccan and Tamil lands, and Mathura and Malwa to the west. By that time Jainism lost its stronghold in Magadha. It is guessed that for the lack of royal patronage it was lost in the North, but was confined to the merchants and bankers for a long time. “This loss of kingly support in the north, was, however, made good by the favour shown to this religion by many ruling families
37. Majumdar, ibid., pp. 417-18. 38. Majumdar, ibid., p. 418.