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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
Sufficient deliberation has taken place on the date of Acarya Kundakunda. The one proposed by Pt.Mukhtar, i.c., 81-165 A.D., appears to me quite acceptable.1 As a boy of sharp intelligence, he is said to have commenced his studies seriously, entered the order, rose to the position of the Acarya at the age of 33 and held that position for 52 years. He founded the Mūlasangha that strongly adhered to the two basic principles viz., acelatva (nudity) and strimuktiniṣedha (non-acceptance of liberation to woman in this life). Jinacandra was his teacher and Bhadrabahu-I was his inspiring teacher (preraka Gura). In inscriptions and literary works, he is mentioned under five names viz., Kundakunda, Vakragrīva, Elācārya, Grddhapiccna and Padmanandi. Scholars, on scrutiny, have accepted Padmanandi as his real proper name, Kundakunda being a Sanskritised form of Kondakunda, the most popular and accepted name that came after his place.
Uptil 1957, there prevailed much vague thinking on the domicle of this great teacher. Prof.A.Chakravarti held that Acarya Kundakunda belonged to the Tamil country. Dr.Harilal Jain seemed to support this view. Dr.A.N.Upadhye opined; "The domicile of Acarya Kundakunda will have to be sought in South India especially in the Dravida country.' ,,5 But it was Dr.P.B.Desai, who having an all sided approach to and a thorough study of the problem, gave almost a final decision that Acārya Kundakunda belonged to Karnataka. Konaakondla is a village about four miles towards south from the Guntgal Railway Station, in the Gooty Taluka of Anantapur District. This Konakondla is the Telugu form of the former Kondakunde or Kondakunde that originally belonged to Karnatak proper, which fact is vouched by the Kannada inscriptions discovered in this place and by some other external evidences. I may quote here Dr.Desai's conclusion: "Thus judging on the whole from the weight of the above substantial evidence based on a variety of reliable sources, the conclusion seems to be irresistible that the great teacher Kundakundacaya hailed from this place whose carlier name was Kondakunda or Kondakunde and which
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