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Aspects of Jainology: Volume VI
their subjects exhaustively. We find a rich cultural data and some informations about the cultural history of India in the Bhasyas.
Next, the Cürnis, unlike the Niryuktis and Bhāṣyas are written in prose. Niryuktis and Bhāṣyas are written in Prakṛta only, while the Curnis in Prakṛta mixed with Samskṛta. Among Cümis Avaśyaka, Daśavaikālika, Uttarādhyayana, Sūtrakrtänga, Anuyogadvära, Nandi and Nišitha, are the most important.
All these Curnis were written by Jinadasagani Mahattara. In Nandicurni it is clearly mentioned that this work was completed in Saka Samvat 598 corresponding to 676 A. D. It is, therefore, concluded that most of the important Curnis were written in c. 7th A. D. Some Curnis viz., Daśavaikālika of Agastyasimha and Curnisūtras on Kasayapahuḍasutta are the earlier among the Curni literature.
Among whole of the commentary literature Camis hold an important place because first, they deal with the various subjects and are directly concerned with social and cultural heritage of Jainism. Secondly, they supply so many informations about the Jaina History pertaining c. 1st-6th A. D.
Curnis were succeeded by Samskṛta commentaries, written on different Agamic texts, known as Vṛttis or Vivaranas. Among Samskṛta commentators Haribhadrasuri is the earliest, flourished in the middle of the c. 8th A. D. He wrote commentaries on Avaśyaka, Daśavaikālika, Jivābhigama, Prajñāpanā, Nandi, Anuyogadvāra and Piṇḍaniryukti. Śilankacarya, flourished in the c. 9th A. D. believed to have written several commentaries on Agamas but unfortunately at present only two commentaries on Acaranga and Sūtrakṛtānga, are available. After Silanka, Abhayadevasüri and Säntisuri are the prominent names among commentators. Abhayadevasuri has commented on nine of eleven Angas except Acaranga and Sūtrakṛtānga, hence called Navangi
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vṛttikara. Šāntisūri has written a commentary on Uttaradhyayanasütra. Both of these later Samskṛta commentators flourished, during c. 10th-11th A. D. This trend of commentary-writing is still current in Svetambara tradition.
In Digambara tradition, Kasayapahuḍasutta and Satkhandagama are considered as equivalent to agamas. These works are written in c. 4th-5th A. D. On Kaṣāyapahuḍasutta first commentary was written by Yativṛsabha in the form of Carni-sutras inc. 6th A. D. After that inc. 9th A. D. Virasena wrote two commentaries Jayadhavala and Dhavala on Kaṣāyapähuda and Satkhandagama, respectively. Mahadhavala is a commentary on the one part of Şatkhandagama, written by his disciple Jinasena. These commentaries mainly deal with Jaina philosophy in general and Karma theory in particular.
2. Important Philosophical Works of this Period
Among the Jaina philosophical works composed between c. 3rd-10th A.D., the Tattvärthasūtra, with its auto-commentary by Umasvāti, is the pioneer one and may be considered as the first systematic work on Jaina philosophy. Composed inc. 3rd A. D., it also has the credit of being the first Samskṛta work of Jaina literature, written in the style of other Sūtragranthas of Indian philosophy. The especiality of this work is that it is equally respected as well as accepted by both the sects of Jainism — Śvetāmbara and Digambara. It encompasses ten chapters dealing with Jaina metaphysics, epistemology and ethics. Its first chapter deals mainly with Jaina theory of knowledge, Naya and Nikṣepa, second with Jiva (living substance), third and fourth with hells and heavens, fifth with Jaina metaphysics, sixth to ninth chapters with Jaina doctrine of Karma and Jaina sadhana or ethical code of conduct of house-holders and monks, respectively. Finally, the tenth one deals with the concept of liberation (mokṣa). Notably, the concept of Gunasthana and Saptabhanginaya ( Seven-fold
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