Jaina Literature and Philosophy a Critical Approach

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 30

24
Aspects of Jainology: Volume VI
religious code of conduct and moral preaching. Pt. Dalasukha Malvania rightly observes that Anga Agama deals with moral code of conduct (Caritanuyoga) rather than metaphysics (Dravyanuyoga). So far as the subject-matter of Agamas is concerned this position remains the same upto the period of Niryuktis (c. 3rd-5th A. D.), Bhāṣyas (c. 6th A. D.) and even Cürnis (c. 7th A. D.). Some scattered seeds of philosophical discussions maay no doubt be seen in some of the Agamas and their commentaries; but Viseṣāvasyakabhāṣya, mainly a work full of philosophical discussions, is an exception.
Age of Critical Presentation of Anekantavāda
Similar is the case with the second era, i. e., the age of critical presentation of Anekantavada. So far as Anekantavada is concerned, it can be traced in Agamas as a mere conception. Its critical presentation as a Jaina doctrine was introduced with the works of Siddhasena Divakara and Samantabhadra inc. 4th5th, respectively. The treatises, composed by them, mainly for critical presentation of Anekantavada also worked as a base for the age of philosophical systematization.
Siddhasena Divakara's Sanmatitarka and Dvātrimśikas is regarded as the first book of critical philosophy. The concept of Pañcajñāna (Five-fold knowledge) is, for the first time, critically analysed in its subtle form in the said composition. It embraces other different contemporary views prevalent in Jaina tradition. The author dives deep in evaluating the established concepts in Jainism rather than peeping outside in different systems.
In the works attributed to this age, particularly in commentaries on Tattvärthasutra, the first extant commentary, after the auto-commentary of Umasvati, is Sarvärthasiddhi of Pujyapada ( first half of the c. 6th A. D..). It not only depicts the concept of Gunasthana but rather describes it with more details.
Akalanka's Rājavärttika and Vidyanandi's Ślokavārttika are the two works, regarded as main contributions in Digambara tradition. Both these works critically elaborate the contents of Tattvärtha. Through, these works we can assume that, the differ-ences between Digambara and Śvetambara became more prominent in this era and the disputes on the problems of 'Stri-mukti', 'Kevali-bhukti' and simultaneousness and succesiveness of Jñanopayoga and Darśanopayoga of Kevali came into prominence. Along with these internal disputes of Jaina sects, logical refutation of other schools of thought, is also the main characteristic of this age. All the important philosophical works, composed in this particular era, critically evaluate the views of other schools of thoughts and try to establish Jaina view of non-absolutism, based on their theory of Anekāntavāda, as most logical and
true.
The Main Objective of Early Jainism
Before discussing the early metaphysics and epistemology of Jainas it would be proper to discuss the main objective of early Jainism and its attitude towards life, which is to get rid of the cycle of birth and death and thus, to emancipate man from sufferings. It tries to track down sufferings to their very root. The famous Jaina text of an early period Uttaradhyayanasütra says:
kāmāṇugiddhippabhavam khu dukkham savvassa logassa sadevagassa. jam kāiyam mānasiyam ca kiñci
tassa antagam gacchai viyarago. (32.19) That is the root of all physical as well as mental sufferings of everybody, including the gods, is the desire for enjoyment. Only a dispassionate attitude can put an end to them. It is true that materialism seeks to eliminate sufferings, through the fulfilment of human desires, but it cannot eradicate the prime cause from which the stream of suffering wells up. Materialism does not have at its disposal an effective