Jaina Culture

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

Page 47

JAINA CULTURE
works by the Svetämbara authors are called 'Caritras' or 'Caritas'.
Yasastilaka and Nitivakyamrte:
Somadeva, a Digambara author of the 10th century, is famous for his Yaśastilaka and Nitivakyamsta, both in Sanskrit The Yaśastilaka is a Campū ( ornate novel in prose and verse ) written after the model of Bana's Kādambari. Nitivākyämsta is a mixture of ethics and politics in short aphorisms. In the colophons of this work the author mentions the following works as his own : Șappavatiprakarana, Yukticintamani, Mahendramātalisañjalpa and Yasodhara. caritra (Yaśastilaka). Many famous poets, such as Bharavi, Bhavabhūti, Bhartphari, Guņādhya, Vyåsa, Bhāsa, Kalidasa, Bapa, etc., are mentioned in the Yaśastilaka. The last three chapters of this work also form an independent book, called Upāsakādhyayana ( Readings for Lay-votaries).
Nemicandra and His Works :
Nemicandra, a Digambara author, lived between the 10th and 11th centuries. He was the teacher of Camundaraya who caused the colossal statue of Gommaţa or Bahubali to be made at Śravana Belgola in Mysore. His works include the Dravyasangraha, the Gommațasära, the Labdhisära, the Ksapanasara and the Trilokasāra. The Dravyasangraha is a brief treatise on the Jaina theory of substance. The Gommațasāra ( also known as Pañcasangraha ) is a bulky work on the Jaina doctrine of karma. It consists of two parts : Jivakanda and Karmakanda. The Jivakāņda giyes a detailed account of the souls and their classification. The karmakāņda deals exhaustively with the nature and effects of karma. The Labdhisára treats of the attainment of the things that lead to perfection. The Kșapanāsåra deals with the annihilation of passions. The Trilokasára is a comprehensive treatise on cosmology. It gives detailed description of the three worlds. All these treatises are in Prakrit and consist of verses.