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Chapter 3.2 ANCIENT NON-CANONICAL LITERATURE
The Angavijja, a text dealing with the science of prognostics is one of the remarkable
Jain sacred texts. It contains sixty chapters and is considered the treasure house for
cultural history of India of the early Christian era (Chatterjee 1978: p.256). It provides material on the cultural, social and political life of India, and contains lists of deities, professions, adornments, textiles, food-grains, food, coins, conveyances, boats, and many other important elements. It also provides interesting references to women belonging to the different regions of India, to architectural terms, to clans, to male and female deities (including Greek, Avestan, Persian, and Roman, and the moon-goddess) and sexual love.
Jains also have a vast amount of non-canonical literature stored in the sastrabhandars (libraries) at various locations in India. Some of the Svetambar literature is listed below: Tarangavati written by Paadilptasuri in the c. first century BCE: a story of Udaya and his heroine Vaasavdatta. Paumacariyan written in first century CE by Vimala: the Jain Ramayana. Vasudevahindi written in the c. third century CE by Sanghadaasa and Darmasena: contains the story of Vasudeva, Krisna's father, story of Krisna, materials from the Vaisnava Purana, direct reference to the Bhagavat Gita, and places of Western India. It has references to the well-known temple of Vasupujya at Campa and the Naga temple, passages from the Arthasastra of Kautilya, coins, and trade with China and Suvarnabhumi (Burma), the society and its festivals, the story of Rama, and the lives of the tirthankaras such as Kunthunatha, Aranatha and Risabhdeva. Haribhadra's phenomenal work (believed to be a total of 1440 texts, a list of 88 texts is available at present) in the eighth century CE: such as the Samaraiccakaha (a religious story of Samaraditya discussing his nine re-births and lives); Yogabindu and Yogadrastisammucchaya (texts on Yoga); Dhrmabindu (a manual on duties of both laypeople and ascetics); and Saddarsanasammuccaya (a summary of six philosophical systems). His other work includes Lokatattvanirnaya (edited in Bhavnagar in 1901 CE, and an Italian translation by Suali in 1905 CE); Lalitavistara; Upadesapada; Pancaasaka; Dhurtakhyana (stories from the Hindu epics and Puraanas); texts on logic, and a commentary on Dinnaga's Buddhist text, Nyaayapravesa. Kuvalayamaalaa by Udyotsuri in the eighth century CE: contains a description of everyday religious life, affluent and corrupt city life, romantic episodes, student life in various parts of India, and the characteristics of the people from the different regions of India. Ajitasantistava by Nandisena in the eighth century CE is a popular prayer glorifying the tirthankaras Ajitanatha and Shantinatha. Chaupan mahapurisacariyam by Silanka in the ninth century CE: contains lives of 54 great personages, references from the aagamic texts, and commentaries and Jain noncanonical texts such as Paumacariyam. Dharmopadesamaalaa by Jayasimha in the tenth century CE: describes Jain philosophy, places and social conditions of historical importance.
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