Scientific Vision of Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Chaitanyapragyashreeji
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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Scientific Vision of Lord Mahāvīra
Bh.S on hundreds of topics of Jain philosophy. Many phrases and usages are given in both Bh.S and Aupapātika Sūtra in the same form. This also supports the belief that the Upānga Sūtra has borrowed a good deal of matter from the Bh.S. For example; the description of Ambada Parivrājaka given in the Aupapātika, Sūtrass is the exact copy of that of Skandaka parivrājka in the Bh.S. 56
The Bh.S and the Rājapraśnīya
The second Upanga Rājupraśniya Sūtra is historically important because it is related to the king Pradesi and the ascetic Kesi Kumara Šramana. Many of the questionsS7 put up by king Pradesi and answered by Kesi can be fully understood in the light of the Bh.S which has discussed the same topics with better logical reasoning. The Bh.S and the Jīvābhigama
The third Upānga Jīvābhigama is mentioned at some places in the Bh.S;58 which means that the content of the Bh.S has been transformed into Jīvābhigama at the time of the canonical council and so it is clear that this Upānga has directly borrowed from the Bh.S. On the whole, the detailed description of the various species of living beings given in Jīvābhigama should be coupled with the important information available in the Bh.S to understand the subject matter completely. In the same way, the very brief description of non-living (ajīva) substances in the very beginning of the Jīvābhigama Sütru shows that as this subject is elaborately given in the Bh.S, there was no need to repeat it. Many subjects like the description of gods. the continents and cceans etc. given in extensive style in Jivābhigama Sūtra and only briefly dealt with in the Bh.S,59 indicate that these topics were probably given much importance in the later period. Still, their allusions in the Bh.$ definitely show that the discussion on those subjects was in vogue, even at the time of Lord Mahāvīra. The importance of the Bh.S as compared to Jivābhigama is much greater as the former represents the original ideas of Lord Mahāvīra himself.
The Bh.S and the Prajñāpanā
The fourth Upārga Prajñāpanā is probably the most important later work. It gives us the best information about the contents of the Bh.S. As a matter of fact, the Bh.S in its text itself refers to the Prajñāpanā Sūtra more frequently than any other sūtra. This is viewed most probably as the transference of many topics as dealt with in the Prajñāpanā Sūtru at the time of canonical council conducted by Acharya Devardhigani. Dr. Jozef Deleu, in his 'Viyāhapannatti' has strongly said that the Bh.S and the Prajñāpanā Sūtra are to be considered almost as a single scripture. According to him, Pannavana is the text which is most frequently referred to in the Bh.S and