Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
[Ch. II
and fourteen Purvas (which were included in Diṭṭhivão) in the absence of Bhadrabahu. They were not committed to writing but were still preserved in the memories of the monks till eight centuries later in the year 980 or 993 A. V. they were reduced to writing. On his return with his followers Bhadrabahu found the change in the Nirgrantha order that the Magadhan monks put on clothes, so the difference of opinions. about the religious rules arose between the two groups of ascetics. But there was no immediate schism at once till the final separation took place in 79 or 82 A.D. according to the Digamburas and the Swetambaras1 respectively.
The canons collected and fixed by the council of Pataliputra were in an unsatisfactory state. So the redaction of them was made in the council of Valabhi under the presidency of Devarddhi Ganin-the Kṣamäśramata in 980 A.V. (or 9)3) corresponding to 454 A. D. (or 467 A. D.), as the date is incorporated in the Kalpa Sutra." The council seems to have been connected in some way with a public recitation of the Jina carita -the life of Lord Mahavira before Dhruvasena of Anandapura. It is known that Dhruvasena of Valabhi succe. eded to the throne in 525 A.D., so the date of the council of Valabhi was the beginning of the sixth century A .D. when the canon was written down; since then there was no interpolation in the sacred texts.
According to other tradition the redaction of the canon was effected thirteen years after in 993 A.V. at the hands of a council in Mathura under the presidency of Skandilācārya."
The Digambara tradition says that the only surviving pieces of the original Jaina Canon of the twelve Angas are preserved in the works-Kamma-Pahuḍa and Kasaya-Pahuḍa popularly known as Dhavala and Jayidhavala Siddhantas from the names of their commentaries respectively. It is stated in
1 Uvasaga-dasão-Dr. Hornle, p. ix.
2 Kalpa Sutra (Jacobi) S. B. E. 5th Lec., p. 269.
3 Comm. on Yogasñstra, p. 207.