Jaina School Of Indian Mathematics

Author(s): Dipak Jadhav
Publisher: Indian Journal of History of Science

Page 5

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INDIAN JOURNAL OF HISTORY OF SCIENCE
The teachings of the last Tirthankara were systematized by their disciples into doctrinal theories called canons (āgamas or siddhāntas) or sacred scriptures (śrutis). Agamas refer to that which have come down to us from Lord Mahāvīra. They are called siddhāntas because they are the fundamentals of his speeches. According to the unanimous tradition of the Digambara and Svetämbara Jainas, the teachings of Lord Mahāvīra were arranged in twelve Books called angas by his disciples and successors, each anga has been called a sutta which is sanskritized as sütra. Those twelve argas including the Thāna (Skt. Sthānānga) and the Vikkhäpannatti or Viyāhapannatti (Skt. Vyākhyāprajñapti or better known as the Bhagavati <Sūtray) together formed the earliest literature on Jainism (Jaini 1927 vv. 356-359, pp. 202-203 and Schubring 2000, p. 80; also see Jain, J. P. 1979, p. 8). The Svetāmbaras hold that the first eleven angas have come down to us as they were thought in a much curtailed and revised form. Only the twelfth anga has been lost. On the other hand, the Digambaras do not accept this tradition. According to them, the whole of the original canon was preserved only for 165 years after Lord Mahāvīra up to his eighth successor. Later its portions began to be gradually lost. What had remained of it for 683 years after him was fragmentary. It has been reproduced by subsequent writers in their own language (Jain, HL 2000, pp. 34-35 and 41). The Samayasära, the Pañcastikāyasāra etc composed by Kundakunda during some period between 100 BCE and 100 CE, the Kasäva Pähuda written by Gunadhara during some period between 10 BCE and 25 CE, and the Satkhandägama written by Puspadanta and Bhūtabalī during some period between 87 CE and 156 CE are the earliest available canonical literature amongst them. The post-canonical works were also written by the Jainas, especially by the Digambaras. They were composed from the fifth century CE to the eleventh
century CE. They mainly deal with karma theory; something with cosmology and cosmography. The Dhavalā of Vīrasena (816 CE), the Jaya Dhavala of Jinasena (9th century CE), the Gommatasāra (Jivakända and Karmakānda), Labdhisāra (inclusive of Ksapanāsära), and Trilokasāra of Nemicandra (981 CE), Pañcasangraha of Amitagati (11th century CE) are amongst their post-canonical literature. For over 2000 years, different truth-seekers, especially the Jaina ascetics, have propagated Jainism in India in different ways. They codified their canonical literature using Prakrit. The forms of Prakrit that were used by them were Ardhamāgadhi, Apabhramsa, Sauraseni and Jaina Mahārāstri. Meanwhile, they also compiled their literature in Sanskrit. Kannada, etc. The Sauraseni Prakrit is considered to be the representative language of the Digambara Jaina literature whereas Ardhamāgadhī to be that of the Svetāmbara Jaina literature. The Jaina ascetics from both the sects had been writing suggestions (prajñaptis) on, compendiums (sangrahas) of, and essences (sāras) of their canons, and commentaries thereon until 1800 CE. Even they have written in later than 1800 CE. The literature of the Jainas is thus very vast and varied. The discussions on cosmology and karma theory form the most important part of their literature.
According to an ancient fourfold classification of the literature on the Jaina canons, one is the Karaṇānuyoga ("discipline of manuals") attributed to the Digambaras or the Ganitänuyoga (“discipline of mathematics") attributed to Svetämbaras. The classification shows that the Jainas took keen interest in the study of mathematics and attached great importance to the culture of mathematics. And this discipline of science was regarded as an integral part of their religion. The knowledge of it was considered to be one of their principal accomplishments. For
& Jain, Anupam 2008, pp. 6-7. He has given the reference of 'Ratnakaranda Srāvakacāra of Ācārya Samantabhadra, vv. 2.43
2.46' for the Digambaras' classification and the reference of Avasyaka Kathā, sloka 174' for the Svetāmbaras' classification.