Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 2

Author(s): G C Chaudhary
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 21

JAYASENA : THE AUTHOR OF DHARMARATNĀKARA
DR. A.N. UPADHYE
In the concluding colophon the author mentions his name as Jayasena qualified by Śri, Sūri or Muni. His name can be taken as
na rather than Śrī.Jayasena. He traces his ancestry to Medārya (also written Metārya) who was the tenth Ganadhara of Mahavíra.' Medarya practised severe penances. He was a concrete embodiment of daśadharma. He brought prosperity by his supernatural powers to the people in the town of Sri-khappilla. It is from him that the Sangha L(Jh)āda Bagada arose (tenājayata). In that Sangha, in the line of great Saints, was born Dharmasena who used to preach the religion. After him comes Šantişena, a great disputant and well known for his learning. After him there was Gopasena, followed by Bhāvasena, an embodiment of many virtues. His pupil was Jayasena. He was famous among the saints and gave pleasure to all the people. He composed this Sastra, i.e., Dharmaratnākara, full of the essential doctrines of Jina-Samaya for the benefit of living beings. Thus Jayasena belongs to the Lada Bagada Sangha and his predecessors, in back succession, were Bhavasena, Gopasena, Santişeņa and Dharmasena, going back to Medarya of antiquity.
It has been pointed out by Pt. Paramanand Shastria that a Ms. from Byavar contains an additional verse which specifies the date as well as place of composition :
बाणेन्द्रियव्योमसोममिते संवत्सरे शुभे ।
Traitse fagai ara: Ha (F) 7771 EITT 11 That means, this work was composed in Sam. 1055, i.e., 998 A.D. Some read Sakali and some Sabali which is an elusive term; and the identification of the locality needs further inquiry.
1. In some of the lists, the eleven Ganadharas are mentioned thus :
1. Indrabhūti, 2. Agnibhūti, 3. Vāyubhūti, 4. Akampana, 5. Maurya, 6. Sudharman, 7. Putra, 8. Mitra (Maitreya), 9. Mandya (Maudya), 10. Andhavela, and 11. Prabhāsa (with some variation in the order). Madarya is not included here; but his name occurs in the list given in the
Kalpasūtra (S.B.E., Vol. 22, p. 286). 2. Faina-Granth-prasasti-sangraha, Part I. Mukthar and Paramananda, Viraseva
mandira, Delhi, 1954, pp. 5 (Intro) 3-4; also.