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Jaina Literature [ From Earliest Time to c. 10th A. D. ]
c. 5th A. D. At the time of this final editing, interpolation of many later developed philosophical concepts and informations regarding the Jaina order creaped into these. The Nandisutra, the agamic work composed during this period, deals with the Jaina theory of five-fold knowledge as well as contains its later developments which took place inc. 4th-5th A. D. Similarly, the drastic changes in the original subjectmatter of Praśnavyakaraṇa and partial changes in Antakrddala and Anuttaraupapatikadaśa also occurred during this period. Almost all the Prakṛta and some of the early Samskṛta commentaries on the Jaina Agamas were written in this period, in form of Niryuktis (c. 3rd-4th A. D.), Bhāṣyas (c. 6th A. D.) and Carnis (c. 7th A. D. ). This period is of great literary importance because majority of the Agamic works were finally edited and some of them were even composed also in this period.
Besides these Niryuktis, Oghaniryukti and Pindaniryukti are also available but Oghaniryukti is considered as the part of Avasyakaniryukti and Pindaniryukti as the part of Dasa vaikālikaniryukti, hence they are not independent works. Though, Niryuktis on Suryaprajñapti and Ṛṣibhāṣita are referred to in Avasyakaniryukti (Verse 85) but at present these two are not available. The Niśithaniryukti, considered to be the part of Acaranganiryukti is mixed with its Bhāṣya. All these Niryuktis are written in Präkṛta verses and deal very precisely with the contents of the respective Agamas.
After Niryukti, Bhasyas onagamic texts were composed in c. 5th-6th A. D. The Bhāṣyas are more exhaustive and elaborate than those of Niryuktis. They were also composed in Prākṛta verses. Bhāṣyas are quite prolific in their contents referring to various concepts of Jaina philosophy and the code of the conduct for monks and nuns with their exceptions and punishments.
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Among Bhasya, Višesavasyakabhāṣya is the most important. It is the first work of Svetambara tradition, dealing with the problems of Jaina philosophy with minute details. The concept of five-fold knowledge has been discussed elaborately with a critical approach herein. Among various proofs given for the existence of soul, one bears similarity to that of Rene Descartes (c. 16th A. D. ), a Western philosopher, proving the existence of soul through doubt itself. In Višeṣāvasyakabhäşya, various contrary views of Jaina acaryas are mentioned and reviewed alongwith the views of some rebellious Jaina thinkers, i.e., Nihnavas. It also deals with the differences of Śvetämbara and Digambara traditions regarding the successiveness and simultaneity of Kevalajana and Kevaladarśana as well as the problem of nacked-ness of the monk with full details. Other Bhāṣyas mainly deal with the ethical code of conduct of ascetics with their exceptions and the conditions in which these exceptions could be followed alongwith their atonements. The Bhasyas, dealing with the code of conduct of monks are-Daśavaikālikabhāṣya, Uttaradhyayanabhasya, Brhatkalpabhāṣya, Vyavahārabhāṣya, Niśitha
bhasya and Jitakalpabhasya. Some of the Bhasyas
also contain some informations of historical importance. As the authors of the Bhasya, we have only two names Jinabhadragani and Sanghadasagani. Jinabhadragani is the author of Višeṣävasyakabhäṣya while Sanghadasagani is the author of Brhatkalpa, Vyavahara and Nišithabhäşya. Of these two Sanghadasagani is supposed to be senior to Jinabhadra, because Jinabhadra, in his work Viśeşanavati has referred the Vasudevahindi, a work authored by Sanghadasagani. The period of Jinabhadra, is undoubtedly, the latter half of the c. 6th A. D. As Sanghadasagani was senior to Jinabhadragani, it leaves no room for doubt that he must have flourished in second half of the c. 6th A.D. All these bhāṣyas are of considerable length; composed in Präkṛta verses and deal with
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