Pearls of Jaina Wisdom

Author(s): Dulichand Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 45

Jaina Agamic Literature
later revealed it to his disciples. Finally it was Puspadanta and Bhutabali who manuscripted it.
The entire Jaina congregation rejoiced on the day when Satkhandagama was completed. It was a thursday, the 5th day of the bright half of the Jyestha month of the Hindu almanac. The entire Sangha worshipped the text and to this day it is celebrated as Śruta Pañcami and on this day the goddess of knowledge and scripture is worshipped by devoted aspirants.
Dhavala - Commentary on Satkhandagama
In the 9th century of Vikram Era, Acārya Vīrasena wrote the Dhavala commentary on Satkhaṇḍāgama which comprises 72,000 gāthās. Acārya Vīrasena was a profound scholar. He had made an exhaustive study of philosophy and religion in general and Jaina philosophy and religion in particular. Although the commentary is vast and exhaustive, it is significant due to the deep philosophical thought it presents, the debates that took place between many Indian schools of thought and as an intellectual investigation of various subjects. Indeed the contribution of Acarya Virasena is unequalled and incomparable in the field of Indian philosophical thought.
Kasayapāhuḍa
Another important scripture accepted by the Digambaras is Kasāyapāhuḍa or Kaṣāyaprabhṛta. The author or Kasāyapāhuḍa is Acārya Guṇabhadra. After Satkhaṇḍāgama, Kasāyapāhuḍa is the second important scripture and it is read and revered right from the earlier times. Both of these deal with Jaina theory of the bondage of the soul and are very comprehensive texts. Acārya Vīrasena wanted to write a commentary on Kasayapāhuḍa too. He started it but lived to comment only on a portion of the text and that commentary comprises 20,000 gāthās. It is known as Dhavala. After his death, the task was undertaken by his disciple Jinasena. Like his preceptor Acarya Jinasena was also an erudite scholar and an authority in his own right. With sincere devotion, he fulfilled the For Private & Personal Use Only