Scientific Vision of Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Chaitanyapragyashreeji
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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Bhagavati Sūtra: As an Encyclopedic Work
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he believes that practically the whole of Prajñāpanā has been incorporated into the Bh.S.50 Dr. Deleu has made exhaustive efforts to compare both these angas and given a long list of subjects common in both of them.
We can definitely say that in order to understand the Prajñāpanā Sūtra one has to comprehend its corresponding counterpart in the Bh.S and also the elaborate explanations given by Prajñāpanā Sūtra at some places. It has to be used as a complementary source to fully understand the significance of the Bh.S. For example, we can refer to the doctrine of karma. There are more than hundred places where this very important doctrine is dealt with, but the Prajñāpanā Sūtragives us in a very systematic way. Ther are many aspects of this doctrine which make very clear the original discussion given in the Bh.S.
In the same way, the difficult concepts of Lesyā (psychic colour), Kriyā (impulsive urges) etc. are given in the Bh.S in parts at many places, whereas the Prajñāpanā Sūtru62 by giving them systematically at one place makes it easier for the student to comprehend the purport of such discussions in the Bh.S. But it should be remembered at the same time, that without the knowledge of the Bh.S, one would fail to grasp the complete idea of such concepts only by reading Prajñāpunā Sūtra.
The Bh.S and the Three Prajñaptis
The next three Upāngas---Jamhudvīpa-Prajñapti, Sürya-Prajñapti and Candra-Prajñapti are the treatises of Jain astronomy and geography and as such they give in detail all the aspects of these scientific disciplines. There is also a good deal of mathematical material in them. But, again here the Bh.S must be referred to for getting the original idea. The Bh.S has, however, dealt with these subjects but briefly.63 As far as the concept of whole cosmos is concerned, we get the original information in the Bh.S with sufficient details. But the information about Jambudvīpa and other continents and oceans as well as the motion of the sun and the moon etc. are not exhaustively dealt with in the Bh.S. Still, because of the importance of some mathematical computations given in the Bh.s, it becomes very important scripture to get the first hand knowledge of Lord Mahāvīra's concepts of cosmology and cosmography. The Bh.S and the rest of Upāngas
The remaining five Upārgus including the Nirayāvalikā and the others give historical facts about the fierce battles of the age, fought between king Koņika (Ajātaśātru) and the Republic of Vajji's headed by the king Cetaka. The information given in the Bh.564 about the battle of Mahaśīlākantaka and Rathamusala sangrāma is important for furnishing us with the details of wonderful weapons used in those times. The informations about these battles give us a clue as to the exact dates of Lord Mahāvīra's important events as