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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
Jinacandra (16th Cent.), the author of the Siddhāntasāra.23
Similarly the great Kannada Commentators on Prakrit works like Balacandramuni (12th Cent. A.D.), Subhacandra (C. 12th Cent. A.D.) and Prabhācandra (C. 13th Cent. A.D. might have composed works also in the JS which have not come down to
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Lastly several stray Prakrit works like Siddhantaasāra, Sakalagamasāra, Paramagamasāra of unknown authors,” preserved in the Kannada script, appear to be in the JS.
It is not all that these Digambara Jaina monks and scholars composed their numerous works in the Jaina Sauraseni Prakrit in the Karnatak region. It is these very authors and their works that influenced and shaped the contemporary and later Kannada literature : A bird's eyeview of the relevant portions of the Kavicarite Parts I and II and of the lists of manuscripts of Jaina works, with their available details, stored in the libraries of the Jaina Matha and the Jaina Bhavan at Mudabidari as given in KTGS, would show us with what sincerity and zeal the hundreds of manuscripts of all these Prakrit (JS) works have been preserved in the Kannada script.26 Many of these are endowed with several Kannada Commentaries. The most commented authors are Ācārya Kundakunda and Acarya Nemicandra.27 The known commentators are Balacandramuni, śubhacandra, Prabhācandra, Kanakacandra, Maghanandi, Padmaprabha, Viranandi, Kesavavarni, Santikirti etc, the first three being the most celebrated ones.28 Besides the commentaries there appeared translations and digests of several Prakrit works, and independent works in Kannada were also produced. For instance, Karmaprakriti by an unknown scholar, Samayasāra by Brahmadeva, Dvādaśānuprekșa by Vijayanna appear to be translations.29 Muni Padmanandi has presented a digest of Pavayanasāra." and there are found several works that appear to be of independent, nature: Parmagamasāra of Candrakirti (C.1400 A.D.), Trilokaśataka of Ratnakaravarni (C.1557)31 and Dhyānalakșana, Lokasvarūpa, Paramāgamasāra, Sakalāgamasāra etc.
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