Jaina Granth Bhandars in Rajasthan

Author(s): Kasturchand Kasliwal
Publisher: Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Mandir

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Jaina Grantha Bhandars in Rajasthan.
WHY SACRED TEXTS WERE REDUCED TO WRITING
The sacred texts which were previously in the form of sūtrās began to increase rapidly. Besides, new works came into being, texts on several subjects were written and commentaries and bhāṣyas on the original texts were made and this multiplication of knowledge necessiated the reduction of the sacred texts to writing.
RECURRING & DEVASTATING FAMINES
After the nirvan of Mahāvīra in 527 B C'. famines visited the land pretty often? During Maurya Candra Gupta's reign there was a continuous draught for 12 years. This was followed by another famine which also lasted for a long time After the time of Sthool Bhadra, there was again a famine In short, after nirvan of Mahavira several famines came in the country and due to these famines the retentive power of the memory of people began to decline.
Owing to the fiequent famines many Jaina monks died. The knowledge which was in the memory could not be saved from destruction. Owing to only these famines Acarya Bhadra Bahu who had the complete knowledge of the sacred texts also migrated to south with a large body of Jaina monks numbering about twelve thousand*, where most of the monks died After the death of Ehadra Bahu the complete knowledge of the sacred texts was lost.
CONFERENCES TO PRESERVE THE TEXTS
In the absence of Bhadra Bahu who migrated to South India, Sthūla Bhadra who had the less knowledge of the Purvas became the Head of the Community which remained behind in Magadha There was fear that the knowledge of the sacred texts might lapse into oblivion A council of the Jaina monks who were in the North India was convened in Patliputra at which eleven Angãs were compiled and the remanants of 14 Purvas were united to form 12 th Anea, the Ditthivaya. This was the first attempt made by Jainas to reduce the sacred texts to writing. But when the adherents of Acarya Bhadra Bahu returned to North, they saw a big change among the Sadhus It is also said that they had also changed the sacred texts though slightly. At this time Digambaras refused to acknowledge the canons compiled by Sthul Bhadra and his followers and they declared that the Purvas and Angas taught by Mahāvīra were lost to a great extent
1 Jacobi Kalpa Sutra Introduction P 8
2
Ancient India Vol. III, by T C Shah
3 History of lain Monachism by S B Deo P 20
4 Mediaeval Jainism by B A Saletore P 3