Nandisutt and Anuogaddaraim

Author(s): Devvachak, Aryarakshit, Punyavijay, Dalsukh Malvania, Amrutlal Bhojak
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 217

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(i.e. V.S. 507).60 But it is difficult to say exactly as to when it was composed. The view of Dr. Belvalkar is based on our knowledge of the date of its Chinese translation. It is also possible that the title of this vȚtti was included later on in the concerned list contained in the Anuyogadvarasūtra. There are certain points that strengthen this possibility. They are as follows. Though there is some similarity between the Anuyogadvārasūtra and the Matharavștti with regard to their treatment of pramāņas-especially of anumāna, it cannot be said that in this respect the Anuyogadvāra follows the Madhara. Again, Lokāyata has been mentioned after Kāpila and then only do the titles Satthitanta, and Madhara occur. This suggests that the title Māthara is a later addition. Though its treatment of some topics reminds us of the treatment of the same found in the Upayahrdaya and Caraka, it is beyond doubt that here it does not follow them. So, we have to maintain that the Mathara or the UpayahȚdaya has not formed the basis of the treatment of pramāņas, occurring there in the Anuyogadvarasütra.61
Dr. Weber has placed the Anuyogadvarasūtra in between A.D. 300 and 500. To be somewhat more exact we should say that it had already been composed in the second century of Christian Era. It is so because its treatment of four pramāņas is decidedly not based on the Nyāya-Vaiśesika works, the Māthara, Caraka and the Buddhist works like the Upayahrdaya. When the state of affairs is like this and also when it mentions the Tarangavati it becomes sufficiently certain that it is not earlier than the first century of the Vikrama Era. This means that there is no difficulty at present in considering it to be a work of the second century of the Christiam Era. In any case it is not later than V.S. 357. Thus, we can in no circumstance place it after 300 A.D.
Discussion on Certain Secondary Subjects The Anuyogadvarasūtra mainly explains and demonstrates the method of exposition. But while doing so it gives many details related to many subjects. It is like an encyclopaedia wherein are collected the details of subjects discussed in the Agamas. Moreover, it is a rich source of the social, political, religious, economic and cultural data. It is neither necessary nor useful to describe them all. But if we give here an idea of some of them, it would not be out of place.
The Anuyogadvāra, in various ways, deals with the topic of six
60. ABORI VOL V, p. 155 61. For further exposition one may refer to 'Agama-Yugakā Jaina Darsana',
pp. 148-156