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2. The Author
Śri Kundakundacārya, the author of this work, was a very famous Jain philosopher and theologian. He was also a great organizer of religious institutions. His name is held in great veneration especially by the Digambra sect of the Jainas. Students of Jain literature are familiar with such phrases as the following: Śrī-Kundakunda gurupatta- paramaparāyām; Śrī Kundakundasantānamj Śrī - Kundakundākhyamunīdravamśa.
These are some of the phrases claimed by Jaina writers such as Sakalabhūsaņa, author or Upadeśaratnamālā, Vasunandin, author of Upāsakā dhyayana, Brahmanemidatta of Ārādhanākathākośa. Instances may be multiplied without number for showing the important place occupied by our author in the history of Jaina teachers. Some of the epithets employed to characterize him are also significant of his great importance. Samanindra, the Indra among the ascetics, Municakravarti, the emperor among the munis, Kaundeśa, and Lord Kuņda are familiar designations of the great teacher.
The personality of this great teacher, as is generally the case with world famous individuals, is lost in obscurity and shredded with traditions to have a glimpse of this great person. The early history of India is but a string of speculations and even as such there are very many gaps. Under these circumstances, we have to be very cautious about the history of our author. After many discussions a group of scholars decided the first century AD for the Kundakunda's period.
The Pañcāstikāya, as it is specified by its brief title, is one of the important works of Kundakundācārya. It deals with Jain Metaphysics or Ontology and Ethics, i.e. exposition of the path leading to liberation. The ext is in Prakrit Gāthās and it mentions its title in two places: Pancattiyasamgaha (Pañcāstikaya-Sangraha) in Gāthā No. 103, and in both the places it is qualified by Pavayaņasaram (pravacanasāram). Although the brief title is more popular, some have used the title Sanskrit like Pañcāstikāyasāra.
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