© Jain Vishva Bharati For Personal & Private Use Only https://books.jvbharati.org Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) Philosophy in Jain ¡gamas Samani Mangalpragya Translation in English by Dr. Sadhvi Rajul Prabha © Jain Vishva Bharati For Personal & Private Use Only https://books.jvbharati.org PHILOSOPHY IN JAIN ¡GAMAS Samani Mangal Pragya Translation in English by Dr. Sadhvi Rajul Prabha Publisher : Jain Visva Bharati Post - Ladnun- 341306 Dist - Nagaur (Rajasthan) Phone No. : (01581) 226080, 224671 e-mail : [email protected] Books are available online at http://books.jvbharati.org Jain Vishva Bharati, Ladnun First Edition : 2017 Price : Rs Five Hundred Only 500.00 Printed and bound at Aakar Akshar Press Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata + 91 9903211215 © Jain Vishva Bharati For Personal & Private Use Only https://books.jvbharati.org Philosophy in Jain ¡gamas I Blessings A great part of Jain ¢gamas is Dravy¢nuyoga. An indepth explanation of substance or existent is available in this branch of study. The substance that can be cognized through intuitive knowledge is quite difficult to be cognized by a person endowed with sensuous perception only. Due to this limitation of sensory perception, we perceive the substances through their modes. Modes of the substances keep changing one after the other continually with time. So, there is always a scope open for research. On that basis, the relevance of the ¢gamic phrase 'Appa´¢ saccamesejj¢' is attested. Samani Mangal Pragya has conducted a research work on the few topics of Jain ¢gamas. Some of its passages are worth reading - 'This text (Bhagavat¤) is the representative book of Lord Mahavira's metaphysics and ontology. It is difficult to find the profound expression of the personality of Lord Mahavira in other ¢gamic literature as it is presented in Bhagavat¤. Walter Schubring states that 'No other text highlights the picture of Mahavira's character and activities as distinctly and clearly as the Vi¢hapa´´atti does.' Maurice Winternitz is also of similar opinion. He writes that Bhagavat¤ gives a more vivid picture of the Lord's life, actions, his relationship with the disciples, his relation with the people coming into his contact and the whole picture of personality, than such facts found in any other text. The subjects and contents of this ¢gama are very wide and significant. Samani Mangal Pragya has a good study in Jain ¢gamas and philosophy. Hence, in this research, the concepts available in the aÃgamas had been appropriately analyzed. 'Gross to subtle' is a maxim of progress. So, be her conscience dive deep into such researches and explore the subtle truths. 28 April, 2005 Anuvibha Acharya Mahapragya Jaipur © Jain Vishva Bharati For Personal & Private Use Only https://books.jvbharati.org ii Philosophy in Jain ¡gamas Foreword The treasure of Jain ¢gama literature is not only an authentic compilation of Lord Mahavira's spiritual preachings but in fact it is a live account of public conscience and social traditions prevailed in that broader section of time. From this view, Jain ¢gamas can be regarded as the encyclopedic literature possessing varied informations. The occasionally delivered preachings of Lord Mahavira remained secure for a long period of time through the oral tradition of teaching (ºruti-parampar¢) but later they have been compiled and written down by scholarly Acharyas organizing synods as needed. In Vallabhi synod, the final structure of Jain aÃgamic literature came out, which has continued till the date. The tradition of writing different commentaries on ¢gamas was prevalent till 17th century. As a result, vast range of ¢gamic literature is available at present and seems to be an ocean of knowledge. Thus it is very hard to guess, upto what great extent the valuable jewels it is contained of. Apart from the philosophical, religious and spiritualistic contents, it also possesses vital information about various subjects like occult science, sculpture, poetics, dramatics, art, architecture, geography, grammar, astronomy, mathematics, entertainment, folk traditions and different kinds of rites etc. At first glance, the specific feature of Jain aÃgamas that appears before us is - the social concern. Preachings of Lord Mahavira is for the common man of the society. As a result, the contents of aÃgamas are centralized for the betterment of this world and the other world, for ascetics as well as the lay-followers. The vast literature of Jain ¢gamas has been compiled and authored during the thousand years, in between 5th century BCE to 5 th century CE So, it is contained of the vivid and different experiences of those thousand years, which have been presented to us by the compiler scholarly Acharyas. This is the reason, that Jain ¢gamas have remained relevant at all times, at all places and for all the people. This valuable research based book, 'Philosophical Contents in Jain ¡gamas' is authored by Samani Mangal Pragya, who is a reputed scholar of Jain philsophy from Jain Vishva Bharati Institute, Ladnun. The in- depth study of this text will provide a vivid picture and authentic knowledge of the contents of ¢gamas. This text includes critical analysis © Jain Vishva Bharati For Personal & Private Use Only https://books.jvbharati.org Philosophy in Jain ¡gamas iii of Metaphysics, Doctrine of Soul, Doctrine of Karma, Doctrine of Conduct. It also includes a chapter on the non-Jain philosophical contents available in the Jain ¢gamas. In and through these chapters, the scholar has tried to provide a philosophical presentation of ¢gamic contents. To be an author, in itself is a great achievement and if the author is a 'Samani' (Jain nun) following strictly the doctrines and vows in her daily life, then it is the most honored state of being. Samani Mangal pragya is not only a scholar of Jain philosophy but she is also a good student of Indian philosophy and literature. All the four stages of study i.e. to learn, to know, to act and to spread have been unified in her personality in their completeness. I am quite confident that such an intellectual and spiritual author has produced this basic text which would help both full fledged or contextual readers of Jain philosophy and assist in enriching their knowledge about Jain philosophy. My good wishes - sama´yaà racita¼ pr¤ty¢, vimala¼ ma¬gal¢khyay¢ kaly¢´¢ya sat¢¼ bh¦yad, grantharatnamida¼ bhuvi [A Samani, by the pious name Mangal Pragya, has authored this text with immersed feeling of divinity. Let this text be for spreading divinity within the scholars and readers on this land.] 18 Feb. 2003 Abhiraj Rajendra Mishra Vice Chancellor Sampurn¢nanda Sanskrit University Varanasi (U.P.) © Jain Vishva Bharati For Personal & Private Use Only https://books.jvbharati.org iv Philosophy in Jain ¡gamas Prelude The fundamental basis of Jain religion and philosophy is ¡gama composed in Ardham¢gadh¤ Prakrit. ¡gamas are the most ancient sources of Jain religion and philosophy recognized as authoritative texts because they possess the preachings of Lord Mahavira in their original form. The preachings of Lord Mahavira are authentic sources hence they are self-valid texts. The written form of those preachings did not come out during the life-time of Mahavira but after a long tradition of ºruta, they have been compiled. The compilers had written down what they got from the oral tradition and presented those contents with relevant events and appropriate background. These efforts widened the volume of ¢gamic writings and it took a form of encyclopedic work. It contained varied subjects. It is believed that the number of ¢gamic texts has come down due to the gradual loss of the texts but still whatever is available to us at present is no-less in number. They are thirty two in number and volumes of explanatory books on each text are so wide and deep that to reach the end of any of the text seems quite difficult. It does not appear to be an easy task to study the whole literature of ¢gamic texts. In those times, a developed set up for philosophical discussions was not available. That set up was developed in the later period. The reason behind unavailability of such system was - firstly, discussing philosophy analytically was not an aim for the people of those times nor was such study considered as essential in Jainism. They were concerned only with expressing or sharing their spiritual experiences, their thoughts and also their realized truth. However, this does not mean that they had no philosophy at all. When a realized truth is expressed out, inevitably it contains deep philosophical facts. Though, it is true that it becomes difficult to bring out the actual meaning of those statements in the absence of proper system of philosophical presentation or philosophical language. ¡gamas are voluminous texts. They possess different events, incidents and stories. To point out and pick the philosophical facts in those expressions and present it in a philosophical manner demands high efforts. Philosophers of later period had tried to pick some issues and tried to explain them elaborately with philosophical background. But all the philosophical contents of ¢gamas have never been brought into light. In the medieval period of Jain philosophy, description of those facts was felt essential due to some reasons like answering the questions raised by the opponents or to provide answers, even to the general questions. Hence, they focussed on those particular philosophical issues and overlooked others. They never felt the need to bring out or express all the philosophical contents inscribed in Jain ¢gamas. © Jain Vishva Bharati For Personal & Private Use Only https://books.jvbharati.org Philosophy in Jain ¡gamas v None of ¢gamic text can be called as purely philosophical text. Nevertheless, they are the original source books of Jain philosophy. Here, it is quite natural that we get curious to know in what form the philosophy is found in the ¢gamic literature, what is its significance and what are the issues discussed in those texts, etc.