Introducing Jainism

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

Page 40

INTRODUCING JAINISM
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has it that he laid gold bands around his body to prevent his bursting owing to so much learning. One day he heard the Jaina nun Yākini reciting a verse, the meaning of which he did not understand. He asked her to explain the meaning to him. She referred to a teacher Jinabhatta, who promised to instruct him, if he would enter the Jaina Order. So Haribhadra became a monk, and thenceforth called himself the "spiritual son" (dharma-putra) of the nun Yākini. He soon became so well-versed in the sacred writings of the Jainas that he received the title Sūri (honorific epithet of learned Jain monks), and his teacher appointed him as his successor."72 The Jain tradition says that he wrote no less than 1,444 works.73 But so far 88 of his works have been found in manuscripts, of which again, 20 books are only printed. He wrote both in verse and prose, and most of his writings are scientific and philosophical. According to one tradition, it is said that Haribhadra is supposed to have taken part in the compilation of the Maha-nisiha. This seems to be unlikely, although he occupied himself with the text. 74 He was the first to write commentaries on the Jaina Agama texts of which again Avassaya and Dasaveāliya have come down to us. In Haribhadra's commentaries many interesting tales are found. In his Sanskrit commentaries he retained the narratives in their original Prakrit form. Hemacandra has taken some of his stories in his Sthavīrāvali-carita. Haribhadra is also the author of Upadesapada and 32 Astakāni In his famous book on general philosophy Şaddarśana-samuccaya, he mainly deals with Nyāya, Vaišeşika, Samkhya, Jaimini and Buddhism, and lastly on Jainism in a short section. Loka-tattva-nirnaya is his another philosophical text in Sanskrit verses, where also he has discussed other systems including Jainism. He wrote a commentary on Umāsvāmi's Tattvārthādhigama-sūtra. He also wrote a commentary on the Nyāyapraveśa of the Buddhist Dinnāga. His other works are Yogabindu, Yogadsstisamuccaya, Dharmabindu etc. All these works deal with
72. Winternitz, ibid., II, p. 480.
73. Winternitz, ibid., II, p. 485. :: 74. W. Schubring, Das Mahānisiha-sutta, Berlin, 1918, p. 5f;
Winternitz, ibid., p. 565.