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Jaina Literature [ From Earliest Time to c. 10th A. D. ]
such as Adipurana by Pumpa and Santipurana by Ponna (c. 10th A. D.) may also be included in this category. It is also to be noted that stories of Rama and Kṛṣṇa are well recognised in Jaina tradition and Jaina writers composed so many independent works on the life of these two great personalities, accordingly.
The third typs marks an interesting phase in Indian literature, in which religious tales are presented in a romantic form. The Tarangalola of Padaliptasuri in Prakṛta is lost but its epitome in Samskrta Tarangavati indicates that it might have possessed engrossing literary qualities. Then there is the Vasudevahindi of Sanghadasagani (c. 6th A. D.). Vasudevahindi is probably the Maharastri version of Gunadhya's famous Brhatkatha, written in Satavahana period. Vasudeva, the father of the Kṛṣṇa, the romantic hero of this novel, evidently remind us of Naravahanadatta, the Hero of Gunadhya. Next there is Samaraiccakaha of Haribhadra in Präkṛta described by author as religious story, i. e., Dharmakatha. The fortune of the hero Samaraditya is traced through his 9 previous births. The underlying principle of these narratives is the doctrine of Karma. Haribhadra's
Dhürtakhyana in Prakṛta is also one of the important works of Jaina literature. It shows through this imaginary tale how skilfully the incredible legends of Hindu Mythology could be ridiculed. Next, Kuvalayamala (Mahäräştri Präkṛta) by Svetämbara ācārya Udyotanasuri, composed in 799 A. D. shows author's thorough acquaintance with works of previous writers by referring to them. He has beautifully described the corrupt city life. Upamitibhavaprapañcakatha is composed in Samskrta in 906 A.D. by Siddharși. The work of Siddharşi is an elaborate and extensive allegory. It is a narrative consisting of series of birth stories, i. e., the hero of all the stories is the same person in different births. Acarya proposes to explain the mundane carrier of the soul (Jiva) under the name of samsari jiva from the lowest stage of
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existence to the final liberation. The conversion of the cruel king Marudatta to Jainism is the theme of this work. No literature representing the fourth type, i. e., semi-historical prabandhas has been written in corresponding period. All these prabandhas are written after c. 12th A. D.
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The last type is represented by the compilation of stories or Kathākoṣas. The stories contained in these works have got a definite moral purpose to be propogated and as such teachers and preachers could use them independently without any specific context, throughout there discourses. Many of the Kathakoṣas are of anonymous composition.
The well known work of this type is Dharmopadeśamala of Jaisimhastri ( 867 A. D.) composed in Prakṛta. The work has auto-commentary and has 156 stories. Bṛhatkathakośa, composed in 931 A. D. by Harisena, is also one of the important works of Yapaniya tradition of Jainism. It is very informative Jaina text of early medieval period.
5. The Secular Literature of Jainas
As defined, being a realistic system with a
high spiritualistic bias, the basic texts of Jainism deal with the phenomena of the spiritual kingdom as well as physical universe. Jaina Acāryas introduced various learnings aiming at the developement of personalities and character, preservation of its cultural heritage, shoulder the responsibilities of the ascetic and house-holders in society and performance of religious duties. These aims are achieved by learning such subjects as could strike the balance between the spiritual as well as worldly life.
The earlier Jaina canons mention different subjects dealing with worldly phenomena. Sutrakrtanga, Bhagavati, Samavayanga, Nandisütra, Prajñāpana, Jambudvipaprajñapti, Candra and Suryaprajñapti describe various aspects of biology, grammar, chanda, nirukta, jyotisa, geography, astronomy
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