Jaina Literature and Philosophy a Critical Approach

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Aspects of Jainology: Volume VI
etc., but in Agamas these different subjects are intermingled. Realising necessities of some independent works regarding worldly phenomena, Jaina ācāryas composed some secular literature dealing with the physical phenomena.
As the result, by the beginning of c. 3rd A. D. several independent works were composed on various subjects such as Astronomy, Astrology, Geography, Mathematics, Biology, Arts and Architecture, Linguistic and Medicinal discipline, i. e., Ayurveda, etc. It would be in the fitness of the things
to record some of the details about such works, viz. Lokavibhaga of Sarvanandi ( c. 6th A. D. ) and Tiloyapannatti of Yati-vṛsabha composed in Prakṛta, are two important works on Astronomy and Geography. Some more works like Umasvati's Jambudvipasamāsa and Kṣetravicara (c. 3rd A. D.) and Bṛhatkṣetrasamāsa of Jinabhadragaṇi Kṣamāśramaṇa (c. 7th A. D.) also dealt with Geography and some aspects of Jaina cosmology. Among these works,
Kṣetravicara is not available today. Jivasamāsa and Jivavicara as well as Tandulavaicārika are the works dealing with Jaina Biology. Pujyapada Devanandi (c. 6th A. D.) had composed a treatise named Vaidyakaśastra dealing with Ayurvedic medicines, but this work is also not available. Jyotiṣakarandaka is a Prakirṇaka which deals with Jaina Astrology. In the field of grammar, Jainendra Vyakarana or Endravyakarana of Indranandi (c. 6th A. D. ), Śākaṭāyana Vyakarana alongwith its auto-commentary, Amogha
Vṛtti of Palyakirti Sākaṭāyana (c. 9th A. D. ) and Śvayambhu Vyakarana of Tribhuvana Svayambhu (c. 8th A. D.) are regarded as important works of this category.
The literary evolution of Jainas, particularly in Prākṛta, which took place during c. 5th B.C.-10th A. D. shows that the Jaina ācāryas were versatile genius. They composed various treatises on different subjects but mainly on philosophical and religious topics.