Jinamanjari 1995 09 No 12

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

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Jain Literature and Kundakunda
(8 B.C.- 44 A.D.)
Dr. T.V.G. Sastri, Director of Archeology, Kunda Kunda Jnanapith, Indoor
The Jain Literature is remarkable for its variety andvastness and chronological sequence of events, not merely confined not merely to religious tradition, but also to other branches such as geography, history, science and socio-political studies. Only in the last 50 years, there began research into this literature.
Since the nirvana of Mahavira in 527 B.C., Jain literature has contributed to the overall progress of the religious and cultural mosaic of India. Historically speaking, several works like Tailoyapannati, Harivamsapurana, Avasyaka Vrtti, Parisistaparya, and Prabandhachintamani, exhibit a consistent treatment of internal history of India from 6th century B.C. to the founding of Maurya empire in the 4th century B.C. Further, they give details of eras like Mahavira era, Saka era, Vikrama era etc. Jacobi, Buhler and others have proved that Mahavira, the last of Chauvimsi (24) Tirthankaras was not only a senior contemporary of Buddha, but Jainism, was a well established religious tradition at the time of Parsva in 8th centuey B.C.
The Jain texts record the succession of different pontiffs, the gradual decline of canonical knowledge and the meeting of three synods at different periods for its redaction. Again, the Pattavalis and Guruvavalis give a list of ascetic congregations - san ghas. ganas gachhas, geneological achievements of important teachers, names of royal patrons like Bimbisara and Ajatasatru. They also give interesting information of Bhadrabahu I, the last of the srtakevalin. His southern migration from Bihar, along with the Mauryan king Chandragupta is recorded in Srisailamahatmyam of Mallikharjuna temple.
Story literature, the Brhat Kathakosa of Harisena consists of several commentaries on Mularadhana written in metrical Prakrit which is assigned to 1st century A.D. The popular Panchatantra containing the stories of morals and truths is a Jain recension that find place in
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