Jain Legend Vol 2

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

Page 287

Y pan ya Congregation
In the present day, only these two sects - vet mbara and Digambara are mainly known. However, in ancient times, 'Y pan ya congregation' existed as a third sect of Jainism. From the 2nd century to the 14th -15th century of Vikram era, this was also considered as a major sect of Jainism. It was also known by two other names - pul ya congregation and Gopya congregation.
Some of the vet mbara c ryas attribute the origin of Y pan ya congregation from the Digambara tradition, whereas c rya Ratnanandi the author of ‘Bhadrab hu Caritra' held the view that it originated from vet mbara sect.
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c rya Maladh ri R ja ekhara, of the vet mbara sect in his text Dar ana -Samuccaya' expressed the opinion that the Gopya congregation, i.e. Y pan ya congregation was a subdivision of the Digambara Tradition.
In his Bhadrab hu Caritra, crya Ratnanandi states that vet mbara sect came into existence in Vikram 137 Era (V.N.606) in Vallabh Nagara in Saurastra and in course of time, the Y pan ya congregation emerged out of the vet mbara sect in Karah k a Nagara.
Digambara c rya Devasena, the author of 'Dar anac ra' a small book, opines that r Kala a', c rya of vet mbara sect, started Y pan ya congregation in Vikram 205 years.
Though, today, there is no trace left of Y pan ya congregation, or of its followers, in India, yet on the basis of the available information, it can be stated firmly that Y pan ya congregation existed in India for about 1200 to 1300 years as a prominent religious sect.
With the examples cited in 'AmoghaV tti' written by c rya ka yana, who is also known as P lyak rti, of Y pan ya congregation, it becomes apparent that Y pan ya congregation considered the canonical scriptures of vet mbara sect, such as the va yaka, Cheda S tras, Niryukti, Da avaik lika etc., as authentic texts of their religious sect.
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