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śramaņa, Vol 59, No. 2/April-June 2008
Jaina thinkers, i.e., Nihnavas. It also deals with the differences of Śvetāmbara and Digambara traditions regarding the successiveness and simultaneity of Kevalajñāna and Kevaladarśana as well as the problem of nakedness of the monk with full details. Other bhāsyas mainly deal with the ethical code of conduct of ascetics with their exceptions and the conditions in which these exceptions could be followed along with their atonements. The bhāsyas, dealing with the code of conduct of monks are - Daśavaikālikabhāsya, Uttarādhyayanabhāşya, Bșhatkalpabhāsya, Vyavahāra-bhāsya, Niśíthabhāsya and Jitakalpabhāsya. Some of the bhāsyas also contain some informations of historical importance. As the author of the bhāsya, we have only two names: Jinabhadragani and Sanghadāsagaņi. Jinabhadragani is the author of Viseşāvaśyakabhāsya while Sanghadāsagani is the author of Bịhatkalpa, Vyavahāra and Niśīthabhāsya. Of these two Sanghadāsagani is supposed to be senior to Jinabhadra, because Jinabhadra, in his work Višeșanavati has referred to the Vasudevahindi, a work authored by Sanghadāsagani. The period of Jinabhadra is undoubtedly the latter half c. 61h A.D. As Sanghadāsagani was senior to Jinabhadragaņi, it leaves no room for doubt that he must have flourished in second half of the c. 6th A.D. All these bhāsyas are of considerable length; composed in Prakrit verses and deal with their subjects exhaustively. In the Bhāsyas, we find a rich cultural data and some information about the cultural history of India.
Next, the Cūrņis, unlike the Niryuktis and Bhasyas are written in prose. Niryuktis and Bhāşyas are written in Prakrit only, while the Cūrnis are written in Prakrit mixed with Sanskrit. Among Cūrņis - Āvasyaka, Daśavaikālika, Uttarādhyayana, Sūtrakṛtārga, Nandi are the most important.
"All these Cūrnis were written by Jinadāsagani Mahattara. In Nandīcūrņi it is clearly mentioned that this work was completed in Śaka Samvat 598 corresponding to 676 A.D. It is, therefore, concluded
that most of the important Cūrnis were written in c. 7th A.D. Some Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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