Jain Literature

Author(s): Paul Marett
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 1

JAIN LITERATURE
From very early times right up to generations, being handed on councils were held, at Mathura the present century the by word of mouth in the Jain and at Valabhi (in modern scholarly language of India has community. There came a time Saurashtra), before the final been Sanskrit. As the language when there was danger that the council, also at Valabhi, took on of serious communication it has holy scriptures would be the task of producing a long occupied a position similar forgotten. Accordingly a large definitive written collection of to that of Latin in Western council of monks was held at the old texts, and it is believed Europe, indeed there was a Pataliputra (Modern Patna, in that this collection was the same serious proposal that Sanskrit Bihar) to collect all the as the Svetambara canon as it should become the official scriptures and preserve the exists today. language of the Republic of authentic text. The date of the The recension of the canon in India, updated, doubtless, with council at Pateliputra cannot be the fifth century AD marked the modern technical and other determined with historical end of the use of Ardhamagadhi vocabulary. Closely related to accuracy: if it was indeed, as as a language of literary Sanskrit were the ancient tradition holds, some 160 years composition and Jain writers languages spoken by the after Mahavira's nirvana, that thereafter turned to writing in general populace of northern would place it in the early fourth Sanskrit or in the languages India: these are known as Prakrit century BC. Modern critics which were current by then. languages. The early Buddist however, are fairly confident Much of the earlier nonwritings are in one such Prakrit, that at least parts of the ancient canonical literature of the Jains called Pali. The early Jain texts are of later date. At any is in the regional Prakrits: the scriptures are in the Prakrit rate, tradition holds that the 12 relationship of these to which Mahavira is presumed to texts known as the Anga texts Ardhamagadhi and to the later have spoken, Ardhamagadhi. In were set in order at this council. languages is too complicated for pious lain belief Ardhamagadhi The Digambaras do not consideration here. Suffice it to was the original language from accept this tradition: they mention Maharastri, a western which all others descended, and believe that the original 12 Anga form of Prakrit, which is used was understood by all the texts have long been lost and widely by the Svetambara creatures to whom Mahavira they revere a different writers in the version known by preached.
collection of sacred scriptures. scholars as Jain Maharastri, and The earliest religious texts of Leaving these problems aside, Jain Sauraseni, a dialect from the Jainism, those which make up there is no doubt that the texts central regions, used by the accepted canon of the as they exist today are of very Digambara writers. Svetambaras, were originally ancient origin. Although oral From around the seventh transmitted orally and were not transmission long remained the centure AD a literary form of written down until many norm, it is probable that some Prakrit developed. Apabhramsa, centuries after their texts at least were written down and Jain writers wrote compilation. The Svetambara by the first century AD. Setting extensively in this language. tradition is that the canonical in order, and preserving the Apabhramsa came to connote works were preserved in the canon was not by any means a the literary form of the speech of memory of the monks for many short simple process: two more the provincial cultured classes.