Scientific Contents in Prakrta Canons

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 90

68 : Scientific Contents in Prāksta Canons
app. 460 A. D. The textual language has a form known as Jaina Mahārāștri. This has some specialities in comparison to the Jaina Sauraseni which the linguists can very well identify. It is established that this western language was originated much later. They make it a point to prove Svetāmbara canons as a later compostion. Most western scholars, however, have linguistically verified and confirmed that a good number of these canons (if not canons, their contents) are of early origin, though it is agreed that the second part of them are later additions. We are more concerned with the conceptual contents whose gradual developments will enable us to guess about the early or late historicity of these texts.
With the foregoing discussion, one could now guess that linguistically Purvas, Digambara pro-canons and Svetāmbara canons cover a period of about 600 B. C. to 500 A. D., i.e. the first and second stage of Prākrta development. Though a good amount of explainatory, commentary (and some original) literature in Prakrta was written later, but it is not included in this study as it could not come under canonical class. Period of Composition of Canons and Pro-canons
The current analytically evaluative age has developed certain procedural concepts regarding objective studies in any branch of learning. This enables the researcher to assess the developmental position of the branch from its nucleation period to the period of study. It is done by studying the available literature in such a way which might give a reasonable mental construct chronologically so as to measure the conceptual or otherwise growth, the branch has undergone in different periods of time or the progress it has made since its nucleation point. This also enables one to frame a future picture about it. The western philosophy and science has grown to an alarming extent, realised by all, following this well developed and intellectually logical procedure.
This progress by westerners in a relatively shorter period has forced the orientalists to ponder over the cause their glorious