Jain Journal 1974 04

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

Page 26

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JAIN JOURNAL
divided into several schools, each of which counted several subdivisions. Most of the persons named receive the title vācaka, or preacher, which is still very commonly given to those ascetics who are considered fit to expound the sacred books to laymen and pupils. One, however, is styled ganin, chief of a school', a somewhat higher title, which even to-day is conferred on an eminent Sadhu. Among the schools the koţikagana shows that it had had a long history, and may safely be considered as having been founded at least a century before the beginning of our era. The existence, therefore, of titles like vācaka and ganin, and of ancient schools at the end of the first century A.D., shows that the Jaina sect had possessed already for a long time 'a continuous and self-conscious existence'. The Inscriptions further prove that the great schism which divided the Jaina into two hostile sections took place, not as modern tradition asserts in 609 after Vira), but long before the beginning of our era, thus confirming Jacobi's view already put forward. In this way the gap of ten centuries which exists between Vardhmana and Devarddhi is almost filled up by continuous Jaina tradition. The two centuries during which alone no tradition is preserved are thought, by Jacobi, to have been filled up by the use of the fourteen Purva, of which more will be said later on.
The Age of Extant Jaina Literature
The Jaina Canon, or Siddhānta, was drawn up at the council of Valabhi, under the presidency of Devarddhi. This date corresponds either to 454 or 467 A.D., and is incorporated into the Kalpa-Sutra (148). “Devarddhi Ganin,' says the tradition, 'perceiving the Siddhanta in danger of becoming extinct, caused it to be written in books.' In olden times it had been the custom of the Brahmans, and hence of the Buddhists and Jaina, to rely on the memory more than on MSS. How early these MSS. were first written we do not know, for no mention is made of them, but it is very likely that as soon as they settled in Upasraya exclusively belonging to themselves, they began to keep them as they do now.
If this view be correct, Devarddhi 'arranged the already existing MSS. in a Canon, taking down from the mouth of learned theologians only such works as had not available MSS.' Then a great many copies were made, in order to furnish every seminary with books. In this way any single passage in a sacred text may have been introduced by the editor, and all we can say with certainty is that the bulk of the Siddhānta is not of his making.