Jaina Philosophy of Language

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 56

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Jaina Philosophy of Language
9. Akharaputthia (Aksaraprsthikā) Akharaputhia
Dávidi (Drāvidi) 10. Venatiã (Venakiā)
Venajă (Vainaiki) Sindhavi (Sindhi) 11. Ninhaiā (Ninhavikā)
Ninhaiä (Ninhaviki) Mälavini (Mālvi) 12. Anka (Anka)
Anka (Anka)
Nadi 13. Gania (Ganita)
Gania (Ganita)
Nāgari (Nāgari) 14. Gandhawa (Gandharva) Gandharva (Gandharva) Ladalivi (Lata) Bhūta (Bhuta)
Pärasi (Pärasi) 15. Adamsa (Ādarśa)
Ayamsa (Ādarśa)
Animitti 16. Māhesari (Māheswari) Māhesari (măheswari) Cāņakki (Cānakyi) 17. Dāmi (Dämi)
Domi (Dromi)
Müladevi (Mūladevi) 18. Volinda (Polindi)
Polindi (Polindi) A comparative view of the above table of the names of scripts makes it clear that the lists of Prajñāpanā and Samavāyārga are almost similar. There is slight difference is only in two names. Where in Samavāyānga, Kharsaviyā script is mentioned, in Prajñāpanā it is mentioned in the name of Antakkhariyā. Similarly, at the place of Uccatariā mentioned in Samavāyānga, there is mention of Pukkharsāriyā in Prajñāpanā. So for as the comparison of the lists of Samavāyānga and Prajñāpanā with the list of name of scripts referred in Viśeșāvaśyakabhāșya is concerned, there is no similarity at all. Except Javani (Yavani) the whole list is different. In this context one more point to be noted is that in the original text of Prajñāpanā-sūtra, all the scripts are said to be derivatives of Brāhmi scripts. It is clearly mentioned there that Brāhmiscript has eighteen varieties. The question arises whether scripts mentioned in Samavāyānga and Prajñāpanā are independent scripts are they are only subtypes of Brāhmi script? Most of the modern scholars regard Kharosthi as an independent script. There is a need of serious consideration regarding it. Most of the scripts mentioned in Višeşāvaśyaka-bhāsya can however, be regarded as developed forms of Brāhmi script.
In a Buddhist treatise Lalitavistara, we have a list of scripts where some 64 scripts are mentioned - (1) Brāhmi (2) Kharoșthi (3) Puşkarasāri (4) Angalipi(5) Varga-lipi(6) Magadha-lipi (7) Mangalyalipi (8) Angulīya-lipi (9) Sakāra-lipi (10) Brahmava-līpi (11) Pārusyalipi (12) Drāvida-lipi (13) Kirāta-lipi (14) Dākṣiṇya-lipi (15) Ugra-lipi (16) Saṁkhyā-lipi (17) Anuloma-lipi (18) Avamurdha-lipi (19) Daradalipi (20) Khāşya-lipi (21) Cīna-lipi (22) Lūna-lipi (23) Hūna-lipi