Some Jaina Canonical Sutras

SR No.: 011033
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bimla Charn Law
Publisher: Royal Asiatic Society
Publication Year: 1949
Total Pages: 229
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Agam, & Canon
File Size: 24 MB

Page 122

CHAPTER XXII
UTTARADHYAYANA SŪTRA (UTTARAJJHAYANA
SÜYA)
The Uttarādlheriyunu is one of the Müla sūtras. Šilānka and Malayagir indude it under Isibhūsiya (utterances of the sages). Siddhascha holds this view. The Uttarādhyayana is one of the texts found among the Angabāhyas occurring in the canon of the Śvetāmbaras. It is one of the earliest sacred writings of the Jainas and one of the most valuable portions of the canon. The work consisting of 36 sections is a compilation of various texts belonging to different periods. It is metrical in its main part. It is really not the work of a single author. This text is held in the same estimation as the Buddhist texts of the Dhammapada and the Suttani pāta. It contains admonitions to pupils, explanations of four most precious things, of karma and sins, etc. Its intention as rightly pointed out by Jacobi (Jaina Sūtras, TI, p. xxxix) is to instruct a young monk in his principal duties, to commend to him the ascetic life by precepts and examples and to warn him against the dangers in his religious life. Winternitz rightly holds that in this text we meet with a number of beautiful old Itihasa dialogues and ballads of ascetic poetry. The latter part of the Uttarādhyayana consists of chapters containing purely dogmatical expositions. There is legendary matter as well as matter of a general religious and moral character. The text contains scanty historical and geographical information. The Uttarādhyayana-niryukti which contains less'han 600 verses gives us some help in understanding the meanings of some passages of the text. This text has been edited with an introduction, critical notes, and a commentary by Jarl Charpentier, Upsala, 1922. Sānti Ācārya's commentary published in Devchand Lalbhai Jaina Pustakoddhāra Series Nos. 33, 36, and 41 is worthy of notice. Jacobi has translated this text and the Sūtrakrtāngu into English in the Sacred Books of the East Series. ' Another edition by Muvi Śrī Jayanta Vijaya with a commentary by Kamals samyama (Agra, 1923–27) in three volumes may be mentioned.
In Chapter XIV of this text we find that a purohita. (chaplain) recommends the Brahmanic ideal according to
1 History of Indian Literature, II, p. 468.