Sectional Studies In Jainology II

Author(s): Klaus Bruhn
Publisher: Klaus Bruhn

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Sectional Studies
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the doctrine of karma (ALSDORF Et: 91), ritualistic texts in Jainism (e.g. compare LEUMANN Üb: 7-8), and Varga literature in the Svetambara canon (BRUHN Re: §§ 2-8).
QUOTATIONS. We are afraid that quotations of dissimilar character which are presented with little logical order are a somewhat dubious comment on the SP. Still, we are treading on ground where personal reactions are not without interest. We start with the German Topos of the "Klassifizierungs- und Schematisierungssucht der Inder". J. SCHÖNBERG already refers in 1884 to the "berühmte [sic] schwache Seite der Inder, alles einzuteilen, zu classificiren und als Disciplin in Regeln zu fassen" (SCHÖNBERG Ka: 4). J.J. MEYER has quoted SCHÖNBERG in 1902 and added observations of his own (MEYER Da: 12). AL. BASHAM has likewise observed in connection with the Svetambara canon: "... the passion for tabulation and classification, which can be detected in much Indian religious literature, is perhaps given freer rein here than in the scriptures of any other sect" (BARY Tr: 55). H. OLDENBERG describes the embarrassment caused to him by the identifications in the Brahmanas with the following words: "Wir gehen zunächst an die freilich großenteils wenig erfreuliche Aufgabe, den Tatbestand eingehend und bestimmt vorzuführen: soweit Bestimmtheit nicht eben den verschwommenen Charakter der Erscheinungen fälschen würde" (OLDENBERG Br: 111). A. WEBER observes in connection with the complexities of the Bhagavati: "Eine ganz besondere Eigenthümlichkeit nun der vorliegenden Textgestalt des Werkes ist der bereits oben p. 372 erwähnte überaus große Reichthum an Wiederholungen aller Art, welcher dann, und zwar nicht bloß aus Bequemlichkeit, sondern in der That auch im Dienste der Deutlichkeit und Übersichtlichkeit, zahlreiche Abbreviaturen zur nothwendigen Folge gehabt hat." There follows a typology of abbreviations (form and content), and further on we read: "Alle diese Mittel, um die Weitläuftigkeiten des Textes einzuschränken, erweisen sich übrigens trotz ihrer häufigen und energischen Anwendung... dem prolixen Charakter der Darstellung gegenüber nur als kärgliche Palliative..." (WEBER Fr: 379-80 and 382). Along with WEBER, it was mainly L. ALSDORF who was struck by the peculiarities of Jaina literature and did not hesitate to describe his reaction to them, using the expression "scholastic methodology" for phenomena such as the niksepa, with the observation: "This curious system of subjecting key words to an investigation by applying a scheme of fixed viewpoints may be less fruitful philosophically [niksepa compared with syadvada etc.], but it occupies almost a key position in early scholastic literature..." (ALSDORF Ni: 257). Again he underlines the necessity of studying the Mudbidri texts on the doctrine of karma, but he also states: "Certes le schématisme des nombres d'une scholastique d'une sécheresse parfois presque insupportable mettra à rude épreuve la patience de celui qui les étudiera, mais le livre de von Glasenapp... facilitera... sa tâche..." (ALSDORF
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K. Bruhn
Et: 93). A more indirect than direct reference to SP is contained in J. DELEU's preface to his study of the Viyahapannatti where this work is characterized: "To the prospective reader this monumental text in fact presents itself as a kind of bewildering omnium gatherum of episodes, discussions, expositions, detached statements, calculations, references and quotations, all apparently quite different from each other both in tenor and in style, and even in origin and antiquity."
In conclusion we would like to stress that the concept of SP seems to be suggested by two observations which are connected with the same material, but derive from different points of view. First, there is the awareness of an excessive growth of scholasticism and mannerism. The wo terms may not be sufficient for our strictly methodological discussions, but they can be used in the present context. Second is the inadequacy of the traditional disciplines in connection with this growth. We can extend the number of available disciplines by the emphasis on more and more minor disciplines such as "study of narrative techniques" and we can take the greatest care to adapt each discipline to the requirements of a particular frame subject (e.g. practising "textual criticism" with special reference to Jainism). But in the end we will always feel that the path from the general to the particular is not an easy one, and that it is advisable to start from the particular (i.e. from the conditions within a given frame subject), however important the general background of modern methodology may be.
Both experiences are reflected in the comprehensive SP concept, which seems to be the simplest way of making our sectional and subsectional lists complete. Under the circumstances, it is also not necessary to enter into a discussion as to whether "motifs" and "style" should be studied as parts of the SP, in Jainism or elsewhere, or as parts of international subdisciplines, such as folklore studies and stylistics. The second solution may recommend itself for the study of "motifs" and "style" in the majority of cases, but, in other cases, treatment under a heading like "SP" seems to be preferable. Actual research will, no doubt, always concentrate on the relevant facts, but it is hardly in need of the SP concept as such. After our theoretical discussion we can now proceed to a description of the facts.
II B
Having already discussed certain peculiarities of Jaina narrative literature in our doctoral thesis (BRUHN Ca: 132-37), we have taken advantage in the present paper of the "architecture of sections" in order to accommodate major clusters of <<structural phenomena and other peculiarities». The reader is therefore referred to "dialectic techniques» (p.11, «<Jainism>>), as well as to «<parallel versions» (p.12, «List One») and <repetition» (p.12, «<List Two»). Our actual examples will follow below. They are almost all taken from the two fields of «Jaina narrative literature> and <<Jaina ethics»>,