________________
In ancient India writing was not in practice The memory of the people was so sharp that they felt little need for the art of writing. It was considered to be a sin to reduce the sacred texts to writing. So education was imparted orally from generation to generation. It was not the case with the Jainas only. The non-Jainas also had the same method of imparting the knowledge the entire Vedic Literature in the beginning was oral. The texts were ordinarily recited and handed down orally from preceptor to disciple The students used to get the texts by heart without a single error in pronunciation and accent for which there are definite rules The Vedās are called Sruti owing to this oral systein of learning
According to the Jaina legends the gospels preached by all the Tirthanhuras were oral and upto Mahāvīra, the last and twenty-fourth Tīrthankara the same system of preaching the sermons orally remained in practice but the art of writing existed in Mahavira's time though it was not used in writing down the books According to Jaina Puranas' the first Tirtharkara Lord Risabhadeva taught his two daughters named Brahmi and Sundari The Brāhmi script was later on became famous after her name? There are references in ÄVASYAKANIRYUKTI BHASYA that Brahmi script was originated by Lord Adinātha Thus the Jainas also shared the general Indian averseness to reduce the Sacred texts into writing When the literature grew more voluminous, the sutra system was adopted as it was a very easy form fou rememberin: the sacred literature Much knowledge can be imparted in lew words The teachings of Lord Mahāvīra were reduced to Sutra form hy Gautama Gandhara who was the head of Jaina hierachy and received direct teachings from omniscient Mahavira. Thus the whole of the Dwadasānga Vāni is in Sutra form But gradually the sutra system also could not help in presei ving knowledge and the general attitude for not reducing the sacred texts into writing was inodified
दत्यूकत्वा महराशास्य विस्तीर्णे हेमपट्ट के । अधिवाम्य स्वचित्तम्था थ तदेवी मपयंया ।। १०३ ।। विभ करद्वयेनाभ्या लिग्वन्नक्षर मालिकाम् । उपादिशलिलपि मख्यास्थान चाईग्नुक्रमात् ।। १०४ ।।
---Adipulāna, 16th Painel a fafarátaim farim 41: Erfam #mi
- Āvasyakanıryktı Bhāsya
2. (a)
(b) तथा 'बभि' ति ब्राह्मी-पादिदेवस्य भागवतो दुहिता ब्राह्मी वा मस्कृतादिभेदा बागी तामाश्रित्य तेनैव दणिता अक्षरलखन प्रत्रिया सा ब्राह्मी लिपि ।
-Samavāyānga Sutra Tikā P. 36
