Studies in Haribhadrasuri

Author(s): N M Kansara, G C Tripathi
Publisher: B L Institute of Indology

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Introduction
The scholars who contributed the papers are all veterans in the field of Jainology, and their papers, fourteen in all, touch various aspects of the writings of Haribhadrasūri, like Yoga, Nyāya, religious worship, religio-philosophical outlook, and try to introduce some of his works. Accordingly, I have classified the papers in five broad heads, viz., (i) Haribhadra and Yoga; (ii) Haribhadra and Nyāya; (iii) Haribhadra and Religious Worship; (iv) Haribhadra and Religio-philosophical Outlook; and (v) Some Religious Works of Haribhadrasūri.
Dr. Dayanand Bhargava has, in his paper on the Yoga-śataka of Haribhadrasūri, draw our special attention to the order in which the three constituents, viz., right knowledge, right faith and right conduct, of the path to liberation have been set forth by Haribhadrasūri and he has placed right knowledge prior to right faith, thus suggesting that faith cannot logically precede knowledge, and that one must first know before he can believe. Haribhadra here tries to fall in line with the majority of the then prevalent systems, which held knowledge as supreme.
Dr. Gokul Chandra Jain attempts a comparison of Yoga Systems as propounded by Patañjali and Haribhadrasūri and notices that Patañjali and Haribhadrasūri have used different terminology in the exposition of their Yoga Systems. Yet there is much similarity in practice, that the metaphysical foundation and ethical code of conduct are the essential part of the two systems, and this spirit is visible at every step in the exposition. Some fundamental concepts, viz., Purusa and Prakrti in Patañjali, and Jiva and A-jīva in Haribhadra, play important role. In the formation of the code of conduct and spiritual stages the theories of bondage and liberation are the deciding factors.
Dr. Ramjee Singh highlights the contribution of Haribhadrasūri in the field of the Yoga-vidyā. He notes that it was Haribhadra who for the first time defined the term Yoga as that which leads one to emancipation, and thus gave an altogether new dimension to the interpretation of Yoga. His comparative