________________
Sramana, Vol. 59, No. 4 October-December 2008
Svetāmbara scholars on Kundakunda:
An appraisal
Dr. Jagdish Prasad Jain*
Kundakunda was an original thinker, an outstanding philosopher, a doyen of saints and a great scientist of the inner recesses of human nature. He is heldin great veneration especially by the Digambara sect of the Jains, who remember him next only to Lord Mahāvīra and his apostle Gautama Ganadhara. His works are read by all scholars and he is much respected as one of the foremost representatives of the Jaina church. All great Digambara saints and monks take pride in tracing back their lineage to Kundakunda.'
Every philosopher is unique in his own way. Hence, to say that there has been no philosopher like Kundakunda, does not mean and should not mean denigrating or denying the significance of other Digambara philosophers and thinkers or those belonging to the Svetāmbara tradition as also the scholars of Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions in their respective fields. However, if it is said, as is sometimes may be implied in the writings of some, that Kundakunda's works are supreme scriptures (paramāgama), as compared to other scriptures or canons (āgama) and for that matter are superior to or supersede all others, it is certainly an objectionable assertion. Kundakunda chose the language of the common man, i.e. Prakrit for communicating his ideas on spiritualism. He, therefore, liberally used appā (ātmā in Sanskrit), word belonging to Ardhmāgadhi (Prakrit language of Svetāmbara canons), along with the use of word“ādā" (i.e. ātmā) of Saurasenī PrakritlanguageofDigambara ägamas(scriptures). . Dr. Sagarmal Jain's Assessment of Kundakunda
Dr. Sagarmal Jain, a Svetāmbara scholar, gives credit to Kundakunda for his Samayasāra, etc. "original works" (maulika * President, Jain Mission, New Delhi.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
