________________
E. Leumann, An outline of the Avaśyaka Literature
[15') This overview shows that each of the eight commentaries deserves a thorough treatment. In the first six cases, along with a general literary task, a chronological one has to be assigned to it: at least approximately the time of composition should be determined. In the case of Jinabhadra, studies about his place in the history of Indian philosophemes, and with C & H, narrative historical enquiries concerning Digambara and extra-Jaina literature have to be added. Haribhadra guides whomever deals with him to the entire realm of Jaina literature and even much beyond.
Some portions of the proposed programme, which follow, can only be treated superficially, or not at all. The material demands that the description start with the Mūlācāra, and from here, turn to the original Niryukti. After that, the history of the evolution of the text within the Svetâmbara literature will be studied.
Beginnings of the tradition
Although the tradition, particularly in more recent times, aims mainly at explaining the original text it has not actually emanated from the need for commentaries. During the first centuries the texts were still understandable enough since their wording allowed some adaptability until a final editing that permitted obsolete terms to be glossed or to be replaced by more lucid ones. This is how in the next stage Niryukti- and Samgrahani-stanzas appeared in connection with the Avaśyaka and other core works, and only the first-mentioned, i.e. the Niryukti stanzas in a narrow sense, produced commentaries.
Niryukti, a simplification for nirvyukti", means "analysis", Samgrahani "résumé". The analysis concerns the wording much less than the title and the general contents. In classes, when a text, or even each individual chapter is taken up as an introduction, the title, the contents or the purpose (of the text) are discussed. The versified results of this informative preparation form the Niryukti-stanzas that had to be retained as memorized verses through such school-like training. On the other hand, the Samgrahaņī-stanzas had to support and to ensure the memorizing of the manifold individual contents.
The old Anga description in Samavāya & Nandī) already ascertains that in each Anga (except in the twelfth) numerous (samkhejjão) nijjuttio or samgahanio occur. Since analyzing and summarizing text parts of the type described are obviously meant, it can be seen that they were originally handed down in connection with the corresponding original passages. Then, later they were arranged as independent accompanying texts that were exposed to repeated revisions and additions. Old versions of two such Niryukti-texts are preserved in the Mūlācāra in Digambara literature, and this work also contains a fairly old Samgrahanī-text. Of course, Svetâmbara literature also knows isolated Niryukti-writings, but only in Bhadrabāhu's adaptation, which furthermore (as shown in ZDMG VLI 586-591) in most cases has not been preserved unadulterated, but only as a basic component of numerous enlargements. These writings are not dealt with for their own sake in the old commentaries, but rather, are taken into consideration and explained, piece by piece, in the corresponding parts of the original work. Among the Svetâmbara-s the entire Samgrahaņī-verses are almost completely mixed with the basic writings in the original manner, less often incorporated in an enlarged Niryukti; only in later enlargements and modifications do they develop into separate texts.
* Represents also nirvyūdha "excerpt", usually niryūdha; in Pkt. nijjūdha, seldom (Vyavah.-bh. X 344) nivvūdha.
42
Jain Education Interational
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
