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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
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whole, may be said to have contained the full text of the traditional exegesis that was passed on from tongue to tongue in carly days. When we come to the Tikas we find some interesting features of form, language, exegetic methodology, etc. They are in Sanskrit prose. Most of them, however, preserve their narrative parts in Prakrit in almost the same form and contents as in the Curnis. They explain the Niryukti verses as well as the Bhāṣya verses, many a times alternately and often adopting and brandishing technique of the Brahmanic Nyaya school. There has been at least one Tika for almost every canonical work. Haribhadra Sūrī (8th cent.A.D.) happens to be the first among such commentators and most of the remaining commentators flourished between A.D.800-1300, though the Tikas continued to be written till A.D.1600.
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My interest in and curiosity for the Jaina exegetical literature led me through some of these works and the concerned critical writings of some modern scholars and made me acquaint myself pretty well with these four classes or layers of the Jaina exegesis, a very succint account of which I have so far tried to give. But some of Alsdorf's observations in this regard, presented very concisely, most particularly drew my attention. They are :
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Jain Education International
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To quote Schubring (Doctrine p.63); "As long as such insertions were limited, the title of Nijjutti remained - but when the size of the latter had swollen up owing to an extraordinary number of Bhasya verses, it was they who gave the whole work its title." What this explanation fails to make clear is the relation between Bhāṣya and Cūrņi. According to Schubring, the Curni is a commentary on the Nijjutti as well as on the Bhasya, but in some cases the Curni follows immediately on the Nijjutti without a Bhasya in between, I am afraid these views are based on a misunderstanding of the true character of the Bhāṣya. My own opinion will be given with some reserve; it may have to be modified after a more extensive study of the whole Bhāṣya literature. But
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