Outlines of Jainism

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

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JAINA SOURCE-BOOKS
We find general references to the teachings, as for example : “The Arhats...of the past, present and future, all say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus; all breathing, existing, living, sentience, be not abused, not tormented, and not driven away."
We also find sermons embodying the stern tradition. For instance we find a passage like this: “This is the pure, unchallengeable, eternal law, which the clever ones, who understand the world have declared. Having adopted the law, one should not hide it, nor forsake it. Correctly understanding the law, one should arrive at indifference for the impressions of the senses, and not act on the motives of the world.... Those who acquiesce and indulge (in worldly pleasures) are born again and again ... if careful, thou wilt conquer. Thus I say.”
Sūtrakrtānga : This book also is divided into two parts and the first of these, like the first śrutaskandha of the Ācārānga is considered by eminent Jaina scholars to belong to the older part of the Jaina canon. It is significant that this Anga contains arguments against Kriyavāda, Akriyavāda, Vaināyika and Ajñānavāda.
This Anga, like the previous one is a synthesis of prose and poetry and has a number of parables which do remind us of the parables of Buddhism. The main subject-matter of this Anga is the expression of concern for the young men who have been initiated into Jainism. The young monks are warned of the temptations that the heretic doctrines might offer them. We find the following passage : “As birds of prey ... carry off a fluttering bird whose wings are not yet grown ... so many unprincipled men will seduce a novice who has not yet mastered the Law.”
One of the heretical schools referred to is that of the Buddhists, and their doctrines are refuted. With all this, as Winternitz points out, the view of life (saṁsāra) that we find in the Ācārānga is not substantially different from what we find in Buddhism. For example, we find the words : "It is not myself alone who suffers, all creatures in the world suffer; this a wise man should consider, and he should patiently bear (such calamities) as befall him, without giving way to his passion."
Sthānănga & Samavāyānga : They embody an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Jaina philosophy and an historical account of the Jaina teachers. In the first one we have a table of contents of the twelfth Anga, the Drsțivāda, and it contains specific references to