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Preface
१७
completion of her Pañcami-Vrta. This throws light upon the fact that in ancient India the ladies of high families had refined taste and were attached to literature. It is through the generosity of Mallikādevī that we have at least one copy amid us written in the Kannad script. It is really a matter of profound regret that such important work has not been preserved in any other Bhandāra.
The Dhavalā sheds light upon the descent of this work and the historicity of Monks Bhūtabali, Puspadanta and their spiritual preceptor Dharaşeņa Ācārya. He was a great soul and an enlightened scholar well-versed in some portions of the Twelve-Angas, which had been composed by the head of Jain hierarchy, Gautama Ganadhar, who had received direct Teaching from the Omniscient Tirthankara Bhagavān Mahāvīra. Dharaşena flourished after Lohācārya, who died 683 years after Mahavira's Nirvāņa i. e., in 137 A.D. What is the exact date of Dharaşeņa is not definitely known, but it is surmised that he must have lived a couple of years after Lohācārya. It is just possible that he might have seen the demise of Lohācārya, who possessed the knowledge of entire Acharanga. It appears, therefore, that Dharaşena should belong to the later half of the second century after Christ.
It transpires that Dharaşena Acārya was proficient in the occult science of Ashtanga Nimitta Šāstra; as also in 'Mahā-Karma-Prakriti-Prābhrita. On one occasion his mind was diverted towards the sudden disappearance of canonical Teachings of Mahavira Bhagavana and this fact grieved him a great deal. He made up his mind to preserve the Teaching, which was fresh in his memory. He imparted instructions to Bhūtabali and Puspadanta, who were sent to him by the religious head of the monks of the south on his requisition for sending disciples specially remarkable for their memory and retentive faculty. After the termination of studies, the disciples left the place in accordance with the wishes of their master. Puşpadanta went to Vanavās Desa (modern Wandewash), composed 177 sūtras and sent them to Bhūtabali with his high-souled disciple Jinapālita to Dramila Desa. After going through the sūtras Bhūtabali could see into the mind of Puspadanta. Jinapālita communicated to him that his master was not expected to survive long, thereby suggesting to him that he should speed up the matter of compiling the teaching imparted to them by the preceptor, Dharaşena Ācārya.
Bhūtabali devoted himself to writing with single minded devotion and was successful in completing the whole of Satkhandāgama sütra. Fortunately Puspadanta was alive then, therefore he sent the entire composition to his colleague Puspadanta with the self-same saint Jinapalita. Puspadanta was extremely delighted to see his heartfelt wishes fulfilled and he performed the worship of the scripture with due eclat and grandeur accompanied by the huge assemblage of Jains on jyeştha sudi 5th day.
Date of the author
The date of the author is not mentioned, but it appears that it must be assigned to the early part of the first century A.D.
The Subject matter
The subject matter of this book, as already mentioned, is Bandha, (Bondage) which forms an essential part of the doctrine of Karma. Almost all the believers in transmigration attach importance to the philosophy of Karmas. The adage, 'as you
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