Jaina Ontology

Author(s): K K Dixit
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 89

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JAINA ONTOLOGY
Maladhāri Hemacandra commented. As such, this selected portion of the Sāmāyikaniryukti part of Āvašyakaniryukti deserves a serious study and that we propose to undertake next.
The earlier 77 verses of Āvasyakaniryukti dealing with the problem of knowledge are to be studied with Nandisātra (a good number of verses are common to both) but it is on hardly few questions that the former text has more important things to say than the latter; (e.g. the Avasyakaniryukti account of avadhi is much more comprehensive than the corresponding Nandi account).
Then follow 8 verses--3 benedictory verses, 4 setting forth the programme of Niryukti-composition, one proposing to narrate Sāmāyikaniryukti as traditionally received. The content of the next 35 verses is as follows :
86 : the relation of Niryukti to Sutra 87-90 : the relation of Sūtra to Tirthankaras and Ganadharas 91-101 : the importance of knowledge-coupled-with-conduct
102 : the acquisition of scriptural knowledge (šruta) 103 - 5 : the acquisition of religious faith (samyaktva) 106 - 20 : the acquisition of couduct (caritra)
Then follows a verse that looks like a summary narration of the topics to be taken up, viz.
jiņa pavayanauppatti pavayana egatthiya vibhage ya /
dāravihi ya nayaviht vakkhānavihi ya aņuoge //1211/ And the content of the next eleven verses is as follows: 122 - 23 : the synonyms of pravacana and sutra
124 : the synonyms of anuyoga 125 - 28 : the right and wrong types of text-explanation 129 - 32 : the right and wrong types of teacher-disciple relationship
Lastly follows the main text broadly divisible into four parts : I 133–338 : the treatment of Sāmāyika under 26 heads uddeśa, nirdesa,
nirgama etc. (i.e. Sāmāyikaniryukti proper) II 339 --82 : Namaskaraniryukti (ie, treatment of Namaskāra under 11 heads
utpatti, niksepa, pada, padartha etc.) III 383-406 : Sāmāyika sūtraniryukti IV 407 - 8: jñananaya versus kriyānaya
Now here it can easily be seen that the verse 121 should properly come after the verse 86, for the versez 87-90 are plainly presenting what is mentioned as the first topic in the verse 121. As for the verses 91-120 they are saying something which rightly belongs to the main text (to be precise, to its part called Sāmāyikaniryukti proper). In all probability the verses 121,