Jaina Culture

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 42

LITERATURE
333
treatise on Jaina ethics. The Samayasara is an important work on the nature of self. The Pañcāstikāyasāra deals with the following five entities: soul, matter, medium of motion, medium of rest and space. The Niyamasăra is a work on Jaina monastic discipline. Kundakunda lived in one of the early centuries of the Christian era.
Mulacara and Karttikeyanupreksa :
Vaṭṭakera and Kärttikeya, too, probably lived in the early centuries of the Christian era. The Mulacăra by Vaṭṭakera is a Prakrit treatise on the conduct of Jaina ascetics. It is the Acaranga of the Digambaras.
The Kärttikeyanuprekṣā is a Prakrit work composed by Preceptor Kumāra, also known as Kärttikeya. This treatise treats in twelve chapters of the twelve great reflections to which both monk and layman must devote themselves in order to attain emancipation.
Tattvarthadhigama Sutra:
Umåsvämin or Umásväti is the author of the Tattvarthadhigama Sutra or Tattvärtha Sutra, the first Sanskrit work on Jaina philosophy. He lived in an early century of the Christian era. The Tattvärtha Sutra is a manual for the understanding of the true nature of things. It is recognised as an authority by both the Svetambaras and the Digambaras. It deals with Jaina logic, epistemology, psychology, ontology, ethics, cosmography and cosmology. It has a large number of commentaries, one being by the author himself.
Tarangavati and Padmacarita :
During the early centuries Padalipta Suri and Vimala Sūri wrote their excellent Prakrit works. The Tarangavati, a religious novel, was composed by Padalipta Suri. It is mentioned in the Viseṣāvaśyakabhāṣya of Jinabhadra, Kuvalayamālā of Dākṣinyacihna, Tilakamañjarī of Dhanapåla, etc.