Jain Journal 1973 10

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

Page 50

JAINISM
Jainism claims that it had many predecessors before Mahavira.1 The thought of Mahavira or Early Jainism is not yet well known; it should be made clear by a study chiefly based upon the Agamas.2 It must have had a close connection with Early Buddhism.3
Among many existing Jaina scriptures, the first skandha of the Ayaränga is the oldest one. The next oldest one is the second skandha of the above-mentioned text, the Suyagaḍānga and the Uttarājjhayana. The Kalpa-sutra is well-known as a biography of Mahavira. The Işibhaşiya, an old text which was published recently, is very helpful in making clear the earlier stage of Jainism as well as Buddhism. Some portions of it have variants in the scriptures of early Buddhism." It reflects the thoughts and life of early Jaina ascetics who lived in forests."
Jainism has conveyed pecuiar technical terms of its own. For example, the out-going of a part of the soul from the body is called 'samudghata"."
In the Mediaeval age some compendiums of Jaina teachings were made : Umasvati (or Umasvamin, 5-6th century A.D.) wrote the Tattvärthadhigama Sutras; Kundakunda (4-5th century A.D.), the Pancästikäyasära", the Samayasära and the Pravacanasara1o, etc. In later
1 H. Nakamura (in English) : 'The Sage Rsabha noticed in the Chinese Versions of Buddhist Scriptures', The Voice of Ahimsa, Vol 7. Nos. 3-4, 1957, pp. 86-87.
2 Fully discussed by Yensho Kanakura : Indo Kodai Seishinshi (History of Ideas of Ancient India), Tokyo, Iwanami Shoten, 1939, pp. 209 ff.; S. Matsunami (in Eng.) 'Some Excellent Thoughts of Saint Mahavira', The Voice of Ahimsa, Vol. 6, Nos. 3-4, 1956, pp. 136-137.
H. Nakamura : Buddha no kotobo, annotations, passim; Cf. also his article in NBGN, No 21, 1955, pp. 55ff. References of Jainism can be seen in 'Chinese versions of Early Buddhist Scriptures', The Voice of Ahimsa, Vol 7, No 1, 1957, pp. 18ff.); H. Nakamura (in Eng.): The Jaina influence upon the Scriptures of Early Buddhism', The Voice of Ahimsa, vol 6, Nos. 3-4, 1956. Translated into Japanese by Jushin Suzuki in Sekai Seiten Zenshu.
Seiren Matsunami (in Eng.) in IBK., vol. 9, No. 2, 1961, p. 16ff.
Shinko Sayeki in IBK., vol 6, No. 1, 1958, p. 170ff.
7 Seiren Matsunami in IBK., vol. 10, No. 2, 1962, p. 58ff.
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GLEANINGS
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8 Edited and translated into Japanese by Y. Kanakura : Indo Seishin Bunka no Kenkyu (Studies of Spiritual culture of India), pp. 77ff.; J. Suzuki Ginakyo Seiten (Jain Scriptures), pp. 65ff.
Y. Kanakura: Ibid., pp. 233ff.
Ibid., pp. 243ff.
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