Studies in Jainism

Author(s): Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta

Page 87

78
STUDIES IN JAINISM
posed in sūtras, the language of which is Sauraseni Prakrit strongly influenced on the one hand by Ardha-Māgadhi, particularly in its technical phraseology, and on the other by Māhārāștri. It gives a very systematic and thorough exposition of the doctrine of Karma (results of action) which forms the most essential part of Jaina philosophy. The Kasaya-pähuda of Gunadharācārya is also devoted to particular aspects of the Karma doctrine. It is composed in 233 gātha-sūtras which have been elaborated by the curņisūtras of Yativrşabha. Many commentaries are said to have been written on these works but the only one now available to us is the Dhavalā of Virasena on the Satkhandagama and the Jayadhavala of Virasena and Jinasena on the Kasaya-pähuda written during the ninth century in Sauraseni Prakrit. They are very voluminous and masterly. During the tenth century, their subject-matter was compressed by Nemicandra Siddhantacakravartin in his Gommatasāra (Jiva-kända and Karmakanda), the Labdhisāra, and the Ksapanasāra in about 2,400 gātha verses. These works now form the basis of studies in Jaina philosophy, particularly amongst the Digambaras.
The Svetambara literature on the Karma doctrine, besides the canonical works, consists of the six karmagranthas, separately called Karmavipāka, Karmastava, Bandhasvāmitva, Şadasīti, Sataka, and Saptatikā of uncertain authorship and date, and also the Kanma-payadi of Sivasarman and the Pancasangraha of Candrarşi, all composed in gāthā-sūtras and covering the same ground in subjectmatter as the works of Nemicandra.
OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS
Next to the Karma doctrine in religious importance are the duties and practices of monks and householders. The earliest work on this subject amongst the Digambaras is the Mulārādhanā of Sivārya which contains 2,166 Prakrit verses giving an exposition of the four devotions, namely, faith, knowledge, conduct, and austerities, but at the same time dealing with practically all aspects of Jainism. I tive and descriptive elements are also not wanting in the work. At places the poet in the author gets the better of the