Sambodhi 2014 Vol 37

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 28

20
M. A. Dhaky
SAMBODHI
matter non-sectarian attitude as modus operandi as well as the pivotal principle with which no compromise can be permitted or tolerated30. The historical writings on Jainism, at the hands particularly of some of the contemporary Jaina writers, has suffered innumerable distortions and is full of falsehoods and fallacies, as well as anachronisms and, as its consequence, very faulty chronologies due on one hand to the ignorance of the methodology of historical investigations as well as blind worship of traditions without any effort at critical valuation and analysis and, on the other hand, to the bias for one and bias against the other sect, be it deliberate or inherited, overt or concealed and subtle. Annotations 1. Jinadatta sūri of Kharatara-gaccha, in his Prakrit work, the
Gandharasārddha-śataka (c. A.D. 1125), refers to this belief : "Pasamaraï-pamuha payaraņa pañcasayā sakkayā kayā jehiń puvvagaya-vāyagānam tesim-Umāsāi nāmānam ||| (Cf. Mohanlal Dalichand Deshai, Jaina Sahitya-no Itihāsa, (Gujarātī), Bombay 1933, p.101. For the original, see "Ganadharasārdha-śataka", in Three Apabhraṁsa works of Jinadattasūri, Ed. L. B. Gandhi, GOS 37, Baroda 1967, p.93, vs.50.) Also, Vādi Deva sūri of Brhad-gaccha, in his Syādavādarantnākara 1.3 (c. 2nd quarter of the 12th cent.), records the same belief : "Pancasati-prakarana pranayanavinair-atra bhavadbhir-Umāsvāti-Vācakamukhyaih" | (Deshai, p.104, infra 91.) (I, at the moment, do not have Vādi Deva sūri's original work in print before me for quoting the location of the verse therein.) An avacūri on the Praśamarati-prakarana, plausibly written in the late medieval times, also refers to 'Umāsvāti-vācaka' as "pañcaśata-prakaranapranetā" : Cf. Praśamarati-prakaranam, Ed. Rajkumarji Jain Shastri, Śrī Raicanda Granthmālā-21, Bombay 1950, "Pariśistha-1", p.217; and Y.S.Shastri, Praśamarati-prakarana, L.D.Series No.107, Alimedabad 1989. And lastly, Jinaprabha sūri of Kharatara-gaccha, in his famous work, the Kalpapradipa (completed c. A.D.1333), besides noting Umāsvāti of Kaubhīşani-gotra as the author of the Sabhāsya-Tattvärthādhigama, also qualifies him as of "500-Samskrtra-prakaranas fame" : "Umäsväti-Vācakasca Kaubhīşani-gotrah pañcaśata-samskrta-prakarana-prasiddhas-tatr=aiva Tattvārthādhigamaṁ sabhasyam vyaracayet." See the "Pātaliputranagara kalpa", in the Vividha Tirthankalpa, Ed. Jina Vijaya, Singhi Jaina Series No.10, śāntiniketan 1934, p.69.