Jain Journal 1988 10

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

Page 43

Gleanings
Jaina Manuscripts in Soviet Collection
...... There are more than 140 Jaina manuscripts among them, a series of very valuable works. Besides the manuscripts of the Acarangasutra, two manuscripts of the Kalpasūtra (one with a commentary on it-the Kalpalata) and the manuscript of the Sutrakṛtāngasūtra, there are many commentaries on the Sutras. Silanka's Acaratikā (a commentary to the Acarängasútra, Laksmivallabha's Kalpadrumakalika (a commentary to the Kalpasūtra), manuscripts of Haribhadra's work Daśavaikālikabṛhadvrtti, a manuscript of the collection of Sanskrit and Prakrit worship formulae of the Digambara sect-the Sāmāyika, the manuscript of Hemacandra's famous Parisiṣṭaparvana, the Pravacanasaroddhāra a famous Jaina collection of Prakrit gathas (of the 1609, the manuscript contains 1606) are all of undoubted interest. Mention must also be made of the manuscripts of several other important Jaina texts: Sivakoti's Arādhanā, on the dogma of Jainism in the spirit of the Digambara sect, Sahajakusala's Srutavicāra, a collection of sutras from the Jaina canons with commentaries, Munisundara's Traividyagoṣṭhi-instructions on conversing with educated Brahmins in order to convert them to Jainism, Ratnasekhara's Acarapradipa, a treatise on Jaina morals with tales of fantastic nature and Pujyapada's Upāsakācāra, a treatise on the duties of lay Jainas. Among the Jaina manuscripts are the wellknown didactic work Praśnottararatnamālā with commentaries by Devendra which was popular both among the Digambaras and the Svetambaras, the manuscript of Somasena's Padmapurāṇa, a kind of Jaina Ramayana, two manuscripts of the Samyak tvakaumudikatha, a famous collection of tales of the Digambaras. In addition there are manuscripts of various Jaina instructions on pūjā, hymns in honour of future Jinas, hymns to Mahavira, etc.
from 'Indian Manuscripts in Soviet Collection', The Image of India by G. Bongard-Levin & A. Vigasin.