Jaina Ontology

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

Page 91

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JAINA ONTOLOGY
Sāmāyikaniryukti part of Āvasyakaniryukti are useful in their own respec. tive ways but certainly they are relatively less useful.
Lastly a few words about the position of Avasyakaniryukti in relation to the question of doctrinal evolution. We have noted that four distinguishing features of the third stage of the Age of Agamas are the doctrine of anuyogadvāras, the doctrine of nayas, the doctrine of pramāņas, and the massive working out of the Karma doctrine. Now as for the doctrine of anuyogadväras its frequent application is one of the most conspicuous feat. ures of Āvašyakaniryukti-nay, that of the Niryukti-type of commentaries in general. And the doctrine of nayas too finds mention in Avasyakaniryukti at several occasions. At one place the definitions of the 7 nayas are given (the verses quoted in this connection being the same as occur in Anuyogad. vāra). Here a curious sounding theory is also propounded, viz. that the seven nayas needed to be employed in former times but they need not be employed now (at the most the first three nayus need to be employed now), the reason being that in former times the Agamic texts had not been divided subjectwise as is the case now after Aryarakṣita has executed such a division. 101 The exact import of the theory is not clear But what is really im. portant is the incidental twofold division of nayas into dravyārthika and paryāyārthika. For this is an obviously logical division and as such has found so prominent a support at the hands of the authors of the Age of Logic; (certainly all this cannot be said about the sevenfold division of nayas.) Another twofold division of nayas-also somewhat important-is that into vyavahāranaya and niscayanaya; but a third such division, viz. that into jñānanaya and kriyānnya has played no important role in the development of the naya-doctrine. As for the doctrine of pramāņas Āvašyakaniryukti concedes its utility by offering a treatment of knowledge at the very outset, but the noteworthy thing is that it does not use the word pramāna or undertake a twofold division of jñāna into pralyakşa and paroksa. Lastly, as regards the Karma doctrine the text evinces clear acquaintance with the later development when it describes the process called śrutajñānaprāpti, samyaktvaprāpti and cāritra prāpti - in the last case describing upašamasteni as well as kșa pakaśreņi.
(D) ȘAȚKHAŅDĀGAMA (and KAŞAYAPRĀBHRTA) Şatkhandāgama is a very important Jaina text and for two considerably different reasons. For on the one hand it is a text regarded by the Digambaras as the oldest available containing Agamic material, while on the other hand it is doubtless the oldest available text containing a vast mass of details relating to the Karma doctrine. In both cases numerous intricate questions require clarification and let us take up the two one by one,
The Digambaras concede that their oldest scriptural texts were 12 Angas and that certain extra-Anga texts too came to enjoy the status of a