________________
124
Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
concerned, we may say that the Jainas were the real apostles of culture and Icarning.”* Moreover, Saletorc long back understood the need of this work in the following words: “The contribution of Jainism to the culture of Karnatak, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh can be given in a separate dissertation.".S
(6) Lastly, I have to pose a small problem but not of less importane. It is, Satkhandagama and Destivāda : Seemingly this problem is of a literary nature, but it has full bearing on South Indian Jainism - its tradition and its history. So far we were, on the strength of the authority of eminent scholars like Hiralal Jain and A.N.Upadhye, under the impression that the Satkhandagama Volumes are the only surviving pieces of the 'Drslivada’ the 12th Anga of the Jaina Canon.30 But Ludwig Alsdorf, a few years ago, has opined that this is not so.37 This sets aside not only our above noted impression, but also the important Dharasenācārya-Puspadanta- Bhūtabali tradition underlying the composition of the Satkhandāgama Volumes; a singular manuscript (in Kannada script) aof which has been preserved at Mūdabidri. Now unfortunately we do not have amongst us Hiralal Jain or A.N.Upadhye to reconsider their view in the light of Alsdort's opinion. Hence, I with due respect to Alsdort (whom I know by meeting him at Ujjain) and to his valuable contribution to the Jaina studies, appeal to scholars like Kailasa Chandra Shastri to scrutinise this eminent German Scholar's opinion in the light of the internal as well as external evidence of the Satkhandagama Volumes, form their views and publish them.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
