Outlines of Jainism

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

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JAINA SOURCE-BOOKS
Moreover, the commentaries on the Angas and other canonical scriptures contain, in some passages, quotations from the Purvas. And this shows, no doubt, that they were in existence at a time much later than that of the Council held in 300 B.C. This fact implies...that the old scriptures really existed even after the time of Bhadrabahu and Sthulabhadra."1
I The Purvas:
Till then the teachings were transmitted through oral tradition merely. During the process of oral transmission itself many changes in the teachings might have been introduced with the result that even the first composition of the works cannot be considered authentic. There is reason to believe that before the final edition of the works many additions and alterations as also transposition of parts of the compositions took place. The fact that first a language Ardha-Magadhi was used and later Magadhi was employed add to the complexity of the problem of disentangling the various strands of Jaina thought.
The works as we find them today as the source-books reflect the varied styles and methods of presentation adopted by the teachers and their commentators. While we find some books in pure prose we do not find the poetic presentation of abstract philosophical doctrines being completely absent in some works. The combination of prose and poetry is not infrequently met with while vague and repetitious exposition characterize some canonical works. Beyond all the thick sheaths we do find the kernel of a systematic and logically argued-out philosophical position which can compare favourably with other highly developed Indian as well as Western philosophical movements.
The source-books of the Jainas are classified under seven different heads. We shall consider them in order.
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The Purvas, fourteen in number, are considered to constitute the oldest part of the Jaina canon. According to one view the Purvas are traceable to the first Tīrthankara, Rṣabha. According to another the Purvas were taught by Mahāvīra himself while
1 Uttaradhyayana-Sūtra (Uppsala: Appelbergs Boktryckeri Aktiebo lag, 1922), Intr., p. 15