Sacred Literature of Jains

Author(s): Ganeshchandra Lalwani, Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan

Page 27

SACRED LITERATURE OF THE JAINS
the close connection between the astronomical doctrines of the angas and those of the “Jyoti şa" vedānga. Fibally may be mentioned (see Bhagav, 1. 383) the solemn composition in the āryā measure 14 of verses which are cited in the Siddhānta or inserted therein. This measure must at the time of the redaction of the Siddhānta have enjoyed especial authoritativeness, otherwise it had never been made so exclusive a vehicle of composition. We must however call attention to the fact that the oldest material portions of the texts are not composed in gāthās but in ślokas ; thus anga 2, the metrical portions of the chedasūtras and those of mülasūtras 1 and 3 [239] are composed in ślokas, while the nijjutti and cūrņi belonging to those mūlas are in gāthas. In anga 2 we find also the vaitāliya measure. The name of this metre (cf. ad loc.) which exists even in the “Chandas" vedānga, appears to have been caused 45 by a misunderstanding of the name of a chapter of this anga, brought about by the insertion of an inorganic t. The existence of the name of this chapter of the anga would receive by this supposition a valuable attestation, inasmuch as it dates far back to a very remote period. In ślokas and vaitāliyas are composed the verses of the Dhammapada of the Buddhists, with which several portions of this anga, as well as of mūlasūtras 1 and 3, are very closely connected.
We come at this point to a question, which I will here merely mention. What is the relation of the Siddhānta of the Jains to the sacred writings of the Buddhists, both northern and southern ? A few sidelights of this character will be brought into use as the course of our investigation progresses. The solution of the question can only then be successfuly undertaken, when we are in a position to compare the texts themselves.
The following review of the contents of the Siddhānta endeavours, in the first place, to disclose to us the actual constitution of the texts which are at the present day reckoned as belonging to the Siddhāntu. In this review I follow the order adopted by Bühler (see above, page 226). Secondly, it purposes from the dates contained therein to cast light upon the most important points for the date of the composition of each single division, and for the life of the founder [240] of Jainism, as far as this is possible for me in this first assault upon its literature, remarkable not less for its immensity than for its monotony and intellectual poverty.
44 There is frequently a great lack of metrical correctness in these verses. 45 The metre in question existed earlier as may be seen from its use in the Dhamma
pada.