Jainas in History of Indian Literature

Author(s): Jinvijay
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 24

NARRATIVE LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
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dialogue in the Rāyapasenaijja, a Buddhist version of which is the Pāyāsisutta of the Dīghanikāya Nr. 23. The original may in this case be the Jaina dialogue, but it is also possible that both have to be derived from an older Itihāsa-Samvāda, forming part of the ancient ascetic literature.
Both in the Ayāramgasutta and in the Sūyagadamga we find many verses which in form and contents could just as well be included in the Buddhist Suttanipāta or Dhammapada. These also belong to the Samaņa literature of ancient India. We see, then,
that in the sacred texts of the Jainas a great part of the ascetic literature of ancient India is embodied, which has also left its traces in Buddhist literature as well as in the Epics and Purānas. Jaina literature, therefore, is closely connected with the other branches of post-Vedic religious literature.
Future research will have to show, how much of this literature is the original work of Jainas, and how much the Buddhists or other sects have contributed to it.
::: $5) Rich Narrative literature of the Jainas
I have already mentioned that ascetic poetry likes to take its subjects from popular tales, fairy stories, fables and parables. Now the Jainas have always had a special liking for any kind of popular poetry, especially folk-tales. Jaina literature, both canonical and still more non-canonical, is a very store-house of popular stories, fairy tales, and all kinds of narrative poetry. I need only refer to the numerous publications of my friend
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