Outlines of Jainism

Author(s): S Gopalan
Publisher: Wiley Eastern Private Limited New Delhi

Page 37

Jaina Source-books
SINCE Jainism itself was older than Mahāvīra it is evident that not Nall canonical works are attributable to the twenty-fourth Tīrthankara. Certainly the discourses delivered by him are considered to be extremely significant and find a place in the canons and reflect the Jaina tradition in all its essential aspects.
Our difficulty in understanding Jainism stems as much from its antiquity as from the absence of written records of the philosophical ideas of the long line of teachers till the 5th Century A.D. when probably redaction of the canons took place. Since different dates have been given to the Councils which set about the task of 'fixing the canons' our attempt to study the history of Jainism is beset with difficulties. Also, in regard to the achievements of the Councils themselves opinions differ. According to one version the first Council met at Pāțalīputra (by about 300 B.C.) and only ten of the fourteen Púrvas were 'recast' but the achievements were not accepted by a section of the Jains. Thus according to this view the origin of the Siddhānta is identified with the recasting of the ten Pūrvas and other Angas.
Jarl Charpentier, rejecting the thesis that only ten Pūrvas were redacted in the first Council and by implication also the thesis that at the time of the Council none of the fourteen Pūrvas was in existence, writes: “...not only the fourth Anga but also the NandiSūtra, a scripture of certainly more recent date, actually knew all the fourteen Pūrvas; and those were all incorporated in the Drstivāda, the twelfth Anga, of which we have reports from a still later date.