Nyayavatara and Nayakarnika

Author(s): Siddhasena Divakar, Vinayvijay, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Jain Sahitya Vikas Mandal

Page 92

Siddhasend and his Works
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Ayurveda. Likewise he was conversant both with Astronomy and Astrology. He knew metrics and he was an expert in miracles. He was a philosopher-poet with a remarkable mastery over expression and skill in description. He stands comparison with Kālidāsa. His expression is embellished both in Artha and Sabda. His similes are catching and Dșstāntas striking. He has a fund of humour, and he can be both serious as well as light. He is a dialectician and his teachings are always original. He must have been a mighty debator capable of outwitting his rivals. He was a Brahmin by birth but Jaina by conversion. He was mature in thought and expression. His devotion to Jainism is unquestioned. He accepts defeat sportively, and he is sättvika enough to undergo prāyaścitta. VIII) SIDDHASENA'S CONTRIBUTION—He inaugurated a new age of logic and outlook. His Nyāyāvatāra is a unique contribution in which he defined Pramāṇas and refuted the Buddhist point of view. There is something original in his contribution towards the development of Jaina Logic. He is the great exponent of Anekāntavāda and of the Abhedavāda. His interpretation of epistemology, especially the identity between mati and śruta is significant. He has given an able exposition of contemporary philosophy. His exposition of Sāņkhya is earlier than that of Távarakļşņa. To debating he has made special contribution by his psychological approach. He is rightly honoured as a great poet on account of his heights of imagination, wealth of intution, lucidity of language, art of exposition, mastery over metres and rich vocabulary. By using Sanskrit he gave Jaina philosophy a seat near Buddhism and Brahmanism. He has given a glorious account of his patron Vikramāditya. Hemacandra can be worthily compared with Siddhasena in rendering service to the faith and in many other respects. Siddhasena is to Jainism what Dinnāga is to Buddhism and Sankarācārya to Brahmanism.
1. SANMATI-TARKA - The Sanmati is a great work, a darśana. It is admired by Haribhadra and many others both from Śvetāmbara and Digambara sects. It has been commented upon by Mallavādi, Sumatideva and Abhayadeva. Yasovijaya has commented almost on all the works of Siddhasena. It is a philosophical treatise in Prākrit Gāthās, and it is divided into three
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