Jaina Literature and Philosophy a Critical Approach

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

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Jaina Literature [From Earliest Time to c. 10th A. D. ]
Jaina Literature of Early Period
the canonical literature belongs to this period, though Ancient Indian Literature was composed their final editing and writing on palm-leaves belong mainly in three languages, i.e., Saṁskṛta, Pāli and to c. 5th A. D. Among Svetämbara canons, except the Prāksta. Out of these three Pāli is nothing but a shade Nandisātra and the later edition of Praśnavyākarana, of Prakrta language. As a literary language, Prāksta, most works were composed before the c. 3rd A. D. being a group of various local dialects as Māgadhi, No doubt, some interpolations and changes did take Pali, Paiśāci, Sauraseni, Mahārāștri, was never place therein at the time of Valabhi Council yet they developed as a single language but as a group of are clearly traceable. It would be a great mistake if on languages. Various types of Apabhramśa were also account of these interpolations and changes the whole developed from Prāksta. Its various shades developed of the Āgamas are regarded as posterior. Although according to their different places and time. If we most of the works of this period contain the religious consider these three main languages from religious preachings with some popular parables and stories as point of view, all the Vedic religious literature is well as religious code of conduct, certain works deal found in Samskrta while the Jaina canonical and with Jaina cosmology, metaphysics, Karma philosoBuddhist literature is in Prākṣta and Pali, respecti- phy and theory of knowledge also. The list of canonively. So far as the Jaina religious literature of early cal literature is, for the first time, found in Nandisutra period is concerned, it was mainly written in Prākrta (c. 5th A. D.). If we accept Nandisutra as a work of known as Präkrta canons. Jainas started writing from c. 5th A. D., all the works referred to ir. Nandisūtra c. 3rd 4th A. D. in Saṁskṛta but notably these belong to a date prior to it. But they all were not Samskrta works are based on Prākṣta works whether composed in a single spur of moment. All the as an independent or in the form of commentaries. canonical works, it seems are composed in during So far as the Jaina literature ( of early period )
ied)
C:
c. 5th B. C. to c. 4th-5th A. D., i.e., within one prior to c. 3rd A. D. is concerned, barring few of the
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thousand years. The works mentioned in the Nandiearly philosophical and literary treatises, it is mainly sutra are the following: confined to the canonical literature only. Majority of