Shatkhandagama Pustak 04

Author(s): Pushpadant, Bhutbali, Hiralal Jain, Fulchandra Jain Shastri, Devkinandan, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Jain Sahityoddharak Fund Karyalay Amravati

Page 22

MATHEMATICS OF DHAVALĀ
Introductory Remarks It has been known that in India the study of Ganita - arithmetic, algebra. mensuration etc -was carried on at a very early date. It is also well known that the ancient Indian mathematicians made substantial and solid contributions to mathematics. In fact they were the originators of modern arithmetic and algebra We have been accustomed to think that amongst the vast population of India only the Hindus studied mathematics and were interested in the subject, and that the other sections of the population of India, e.g the Bhuddhists and the Jainas, did not pay much attention to it. This view has been held by scholars because mathematical works written by Buddhist or Jaina mathematicians had been unknown until quite recently. A study of the Jaina canonical works, however, reveals that mathematics was held in high esteem by the Jainas. In fact the knowledge of mathematics and astronomy was considered to be one of the principal accomplishments of the Jaina ascetics.1
We know now that the Jainas had a school of mathematics in South India, and at least one work-the Ganita-sara-samgraha by Mahāvīrācărya-of this school was in many ways superior to any other existing work of that time. Mahāvírācārya wrote in 850 A. D. and his work although similar in general outline to the works of the Hindu mathematicians like Brahmagupta, Sridharācārya, Bhāskara and others, is entirely different in details, e. g., the problems in the Ganita-sara-samgraha ure almost all different from those in the other works,
From the mathematical literature available at present we can say that important schools of mathematics flourished at Pataliputra ( Patna ), Ujjain, Mysore, Malabar, and probably also at Benares, Taxila and some other places. Until further evidence is available, it is not possible to say precisely what the relation between these schools was. At the same time we find that works coming from the different schools resemble each other in their general outline, although they differ in details. This shows that there was intercommunication between the various schools-that scholars and students travelled from one school to another, and that discoveries made at one place were soon communicated throughout the length and breadth of India.
It seems that the spread of Buddhism and Jainism gave an impetus to the study of the various sciences and arts. The religious literature of India in general and of Buddhism and Jainism in particular is full of big numbers. The use of big numbers necessitated the development of a simple symbolism for writing those numbers, and
1. Cf. Bhagavatî-sūtra with the commentary of Abhayadeva Sūri edited by Âgamodayasamiti
of Mehesana, 1919, Sutra 90; English translation by Jacobi of the Uttarādhyayana-sútra, Oxford, 1895, Ch. 7, 8, 38.