Jain Journal 2006 01

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

Page 10

Hampa Nagarajaiah: The Neo-Digambara School
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of Digambara lineage, have both composed commentaries on the Ārādhanā. The Ārādhanā-Karņāța Țika (s.a Voddārādhane) of Bhrājişņu (c.800 CE) is also a Kannada commentary on the Ārādhanā. Bhrājisņu is a pro-Digambara author and his text is full of Prakrit and Sanskrit quotations.
The Kalyāṇamandira-stotra of 44 verses, as famous and effective as the Bhaktāmara Stotra of Mānatunga Acārya (circa 6th century CE) is attributed to Kumudacandra. It is also said that Kumudacandra is another alias of Siddhasena (C.5th century). The work is so popular that there are about 25 commentaries, besides Hermann Jacobi's German translation.
The Sammai-sutta (Sanmati-sūtra) or Sanmati-Tarka is revered by both the Digambara and Svetambara sects. It is notable that Vīrasena Acārya has referred to this work in his Dhavalā commentary (CE. 816) on the Șaț-khaņdāgama. Vādirājācārya, another Digambara friar, mentions this work in his Pārsvanātha carita (CE 1025). Ācārya Abhayadeva composed his voluminous Tīkā of 25,000 ślokas on the Sanmati-Tarka. Considerably, Vīrasena, Vādirāja and Abhayadeva were Digambara preceptors.
One more middle path between the Digambara and Svetāmbara schools existed in the early and mid-medieval period. The ācāryas who followed this middlepath, neither strictly followed the Digambara nor Svetāmbara or Yāpanīya canons. As independent thinkers, they enunciated a tradition of their own, assimilating the best of either sects. These authors commanded respect from all sects and divisions. To comprehend the above discussion, a fourth school of saint-scholarauthors, who were different and distinct from their contemporary sects, existed. The Padmacarita (Ravisena), Harivamsapurāna (Jinasena), Byhatkathākośa (Harişena) etc., are outstanding examples of this type. The preceptors and poets of this line of thought were not traditionalists. Instead they were liberal conservatives. Ravisena was the earliest to deviate from the rigid path of his Digambara sect. He dismantled the