________________
A SOURCE-BOOK IN JAINA PHILOSOPHY
27
interpretation are the special features of this age. In this way, we can classify Jaina literature into five divisions, and it is clear that the Jaina literature is most comprehensive in all its aspects-philosophical or otherwise.
Every age has something special to contribute to scholarship and literature. The school which absorbs the contributions of the age enhances itself regularly and without pause ; but which does not absorb these contributions becomes static and less prominent. The fundamental value of writing remains constant in all ages. It is only looked from new angles of thought every time. The inner core is the same, but the outer expressions may differ.]
JAINISM IN THE AGE OF AGAMAS y 3 The question how the Jaina philosophy was presented in the Agamas cannot be easily answered unless we develop a catholic outlook and a historical sense. As the Upanișadic philosophy developed in greater breadth and depth and more so through the Bhagavadgitā, we can say that the development of Jaina philosophy was from the Agamic age to the later stages of logical and critical development. The Agamic thought became broader and richer in depth during the age of Commentaries while the philosophic development became rich and varied at the time of Tattvārthasūtra. We have now to see what were the characteristics of Jaina philosophy at the Agama stage of thought.
Philosophical problems of the Āgamas can be studied under two heads :-(1) Prameya or Jñeya (object of knowledge), and (2) Pramāņa or Jñāna (valid sources of knowledge). The former is the ontological and the latter is epistemological in nature. The Jaina Agama literature gives prominence to the discussion of the following problems :
(i) Anekanta attitude, (ii) Saptabhangi, (iii) Naya, (iv) Niksepa, (v) Dravya, (vi) Guna, (vii) Paryāya, (viii) Padārtha, (ix) Kșetra, (x)
1
Jaina Dar sana (a) Jaina Dārśanika Sāhitya Kā Simhävalokana-Sri Dalsukha
Bhāi Mālavaniyā. (b) Visva Darśana Ki Rūparekha--Pandit Vijaya Muni (c) Munidvaya Abhinandana Grantha.
·
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
