Jaina Literature and Philosophy a Critical Approach

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 29

Historical Development of Jaina Philosophy and Religion
living in a certain province. In their time, the code of Anekāntavāda (c. 4th-6th A. D.). conduct of monks and nuns remained confined into
(iii) The age of systematization of Jaina the books only and did not appear in the practical life. philosophy (c. 7th-10th A. D.). Against this situation a revolution was
This nomenclature underlies the tendencies, worked out, in Digambara tradition by Kundakunda dominating the particular era. However, this division (c. 6th A. D.) and in Svetāmbara tradition by is only a tentative one. No water tight compartment in Haribhadra (c. 8th A. D.). But this revolution failed the division of ages is possible. The tendencies of one to reap any fruit and remained ineffective and the age can be traced in other ages also. For example, institution of Bhattārakas and Yatis thrived in the Agamic age terminates with c. 3rd A. D. but the final later centuries also. Its only credit was that the tradi- editing as well as the composition of some Agamic tion of the real ascetics, following the rigorous path of texts continued up to the c. Sth A. D. Not only this but Mahāvira, could be saved for some centuries. Again the date of composition of commentaries on Āgamas in Svetāmbara tradition, a great revolution took place extends up to the c. 11th A. D. Similar is the case in the c. 10th A. D. under the leadership of Jineśvara- with the age of critical presentation of Anekāntavāda; süri against the temple based living of the monks, i.e., as seeds of Anekānta can be traced in Agamas such as Caityavāsa and administrator clergies. Due to this Bhagavatisütra etc. but its critical presentation contirevolution Kharataragaccha came into existence in nued not only upto Haribhadra (c. 8th A. D.) but upto the c. 10-11th A. D. This revolutionary and reforma- Yaśovijaya and Vimaldas (c. 17th A. D.). Similarly tive spirit continued in Jaina community in the later the age of philosophical systematization commences centuries also and owing to that sub-sects Tapa- from c. 7th A. D. but the actual effort in this direction gaccha (c. 12th A. D. ), Lonkāgaccha (c. 15th A.D.), starts from the composition of Tattvārthasutra and its Sthānakavāsi (c. 16th A. D.) and Terăpanthi (c. 18th auto-commentary by Umāsväti long before during the A. D.) came into existence in Svetambara tradition. c. 3rd A. D. and continued upto the period of YasoSimilarly, in Digambara tradition also Banārasimata vijaya, i. e., the c. 17th A. D. Thus, it is very difficult Digambara Terapantha (c. 16th A. D. ) and Tarana- to divide these ages strictly into a particular framepantha a non-idol worshipper sect, came forward work of time. with their reformative outlook. In fact, it is due to the The Age of Āgamas impact of Hindu devotionalism and Tantrism that the
Most of the Āgamic literature was composed ritualistic idol-worship started in Jainism and it is that during c. 5th B. C.-3rd A. D. but some of Āgamic due to the Muslim impact non-idol worship sects texts like Nandisutra and the present edition of such as Lorikāgaccha, Sthanakavāsi, Terapantha and Praśnavyākarana were composed in c. 5th-6th A. D. Taranapantha took birth in Jainism. This shows that in In the most important councils (Vācanās ), which practice Jainism is not a static but a dynamic religion. were held at Mathura and Valabhi in c. 4th-5th A. D.
So far as the changes in the Jaina thought are respectively, for editing and rewriting of these concerned, Jaina scholars divided their history of Agamas, some new additions and alterations were philosophical development in three ages which are as also made and that is why some of the Agamas under:
contain some informations and conceptions, develop(i) The Agama Age (c. 5th B. C.-3rd A.D.). ed later in c. 4th-5th, in Jaina philosophy. (ii) The age of critical presentation of The Āgamas are mainly concerned with the