Jain System in Nutshell

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Nij Gyan Sagar Shiksha Kosh Santa MP

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(18) temples, congregational fourfold order and philanthropic activities. Their scriptures are neither divine nor revealed. They proclaimed the gist of principled knowledge experienced by the truth seekers of inner or absolute reality for the laity. The basic scriptures of Jainas differ from other systems because of their nature of contents. They do not contain narratives, history or hymns. They contain the basic moral and spiritua! principles involving upgradation of worldly life. Later scriptures followe narratives and other modes prevalent in many systems. The scriptures existing at present are said to be reduced to writting between 3rd century
century AD through four monk councils (Patna 360 B.C.. Mathura-Balabhi, 315 AD, Kumari mountain, 180 B.C. and Balabhi 453AD). The Kalinga council produced the Digambara procanons while the other councils, the Swetambara canons. The main authors are said exalted victors in essence which were put in aphoristic and other forms by their successor disciples. Despite acceptance of same principles, the cognisance of the existing scriptures is variable amongst the different sects of the Jains.
The scripture is catalogued in three groups such as (1) precanon (2) canon and procanon and (3) supplementary or subsidiary canons. The 14 sections of precanon books are now extinct and their contents are included in the 12th canon of the twelve basic canons. Their is a large number of supplementary canons- some as old as canon like Uttaradhyayan, Dashvaikalika, Nishith, Risibhasita and others while others as late as 5th-6th century AD. They are groouped in five sections: (a) subcanons (b) infractionary aphorisms (c) main aphorisms (d) miscellany and (e) appendix. The canons contain the ascetic discipline, principal doctrines in nutshell, exemplary moral oriented narratives, stories and legends and examination of false views either through dialogues or simple language. The subsidiary canons also have the same topics. They have cosmology, monastic conducts, hymns and rituals as well. The total number of scriptural books vary between 32 to 84 depending upon the different white-clad schisms developed in course of time. However 32 canons seem to be reasonable primary. This counting is based on the memorical loss of the twelth canon-Dristivada.
The sky-clad section of the Jainas have a different story regarding Jain scriptures. Though they agree to the same three groups but they recognise only 26 books. The canons have similar names but the subsidiary ones have some names similar and many names different. However they postulate all this scripture has been lost in memory. Nevertheless, they have only two basic procanonical books-one on Karma theory (Satkkandagam) and the other on passions (Kashaypahud) which are based on lost precanonial works. Malvania has shown that the rate of