Canonical Literature Of Jainas

SR No.: 022774
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: H R Kapadia
Publisher: Hindi Granth Karyalay
Publication Year: 1941
Total Pages: 286
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 26 MB

Page 222

VII]
COMPARISON AND EVALUATION
209
I may refer to the Cunnis and Samskrta commentaries on the canonical treatises. Just as in the Vaidika mythology, we hear about the Nrsimha watūra (the 4th incarnation) of Visņu and about Ardhanāriśvara ripa (form) of Mahādeva, so in the Cunnis almost in every sentence we come across a portion in Prākrta? followed by a portion in Samskyta. This hybrid as some might term it, is probably due to the transitional period when an attempt was slowly but surely being made to compose the Juing exegetical canonical literature in Samskrta and not in Präkrta as before, Is there any parallel instance of this type anywhere else ?
Samskyta language has been freely and fairly resorted to by Haribhadra Sūri and other saints who followed him, while the were engaged in composing Samskrta commentaries on the Jaina canon. These commentaries and the Samskrta quotations occurring in Cunnis enrich the Samskrta literature.
In the end I may say that the Gujarāti commentaries on the Ayumas are very helpful for the study of the old Gujarāti language.
Intonation-It seems that most of the people are under the impression that intonation is associated with the Vedas only, so far as the Indian literature is concerned. But it is not so; for, in Aņuogaddūra (s. 151) we find the word ghosa used while delining this sutta and while indicating as to how it should be pronounced. This word ghosa meaning udātiadisvaravisesc occurs in Vavahāra (X), too. In Tattvärtha which is a compendium of a portion of the preachings of Arhat as stated in its Bhāsyakörika (v. 22) we have in IX, 25, the word ämnāya. It is explained as under in its Bhäşya (p. 258):--
"माम्नायो घोषविशुद्ध परिवर्तनं गुणनं, रूपादानमित्यर्थः ।" Siddbasena Gaņi while commenting upon it observes on p. 258:
" आम्नायोऽपि परिवर्तनं उदात्तादिपरिशुद्धमनुश्रावणीयमभ्यासविशेषः."
From this it will be clear that udātta, anudātta and svarila are associated with the canonical literature of the Jainas, too; but, strange to say that neither do we come across any Juina Mss. 1 At lines llis prosents song features to bu had in thu Suurascui language. 27