Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
In the presence of Lord Mahavira, there were many omniscients, mind-readers, clairvoyants and also proficients in dvādaśāṅgī. The pūrva knowledge was included in the dvādaśāṅgī itself. Post Mahavira period witnessed the gradual wane and shrinking of this stream of śruta.
Śvetambara tradition asserts that although āgamas have been through a period of wane, they are not completely lost. Some of its portion is still available at present. According to this tradition, the milestones of the gradual decline are as follows:
- Kevalī-Omniscients
- Sudharma 2. Jambu
- Fourteen pūrva proficients-
- Prabhava 2. Shayyambhava 3. Yashobhadra 4. Sambhūtavijaya 5. Bhadrabahu 6. Sthulabhadra
Sthulabhadra was the possessor of fourteen pūrvas with maxims (sutrataḥ) and proficient of ten pūrvas with meaning (arthataḥ).
After Bhadrabahu, the knowledge of fourteen pūrvas with meaning came to an end and after Sthulabhadra, it got extinct with maxims also. In Jain tradition, ten Acharya right from Mahagiri and Suhasti upto Vajrasvami, were proficient in ten pūrvas[1]. After, them, even knowledge of ten pūrvas began to decline.
Shree Arya Rakshita, disciple of Acharya Tosaliputra was knower of nine pūrvas and twenty four yavikas (chapters) of tenth pūrva. Descendant of Aryarakshita, Aryanandila was knower of about nine and half pūrvas. Another disciple, Durbalika Pushyamitra was proficient in nine pūrva.
Thereafter, Devardhigani Kshamaśramana has been referred to as being one pūrva proficient. History is silent about the names, number and depth of the Acharyas knowledge on the number of pūrvas who flourished in between this period.
Arya Rakshita, Nandī lakshmana, Nagahasti, Revati-Nakshatra, Sinhasuri -all were proficients of nine or less pūrvas. Skandilācārya, Shree Himavant Kshmashramana, Nagarjuna Suri-all these were contemporary pūrva proficient acharyas. Shree Govindvacaka, Sanyamavishnu, Bhūtadinna, Lohityasuri, Dushyagani and Devavacaka were proficients of eleven aṅgas and knowers of more than one pūrva. It is also believed that in the post-Devardhigani era, few Acharyas possessed knowledge of the pūrva. This is proved by the writings of the pūrvas and description of subject matter found at various places in the writings of those Acharyas.
After Vajraswami and prior to Śilānskasūri, one of the chapter of Acārāṅga by the name of Mahāparijñā was lost.
Praśnavyākaraṇa as described in Sthānāṅga is very different from what is available today. Where and how these changes in the very content occurred, is unknown. Similarly few sub chapters of Jñātādharmakathā have also become unavailable.[2]
In Śvetambara tradition, out of twelve, eleven aṅgas are still available. The twelth aṅga by name Dṛṣṭivāda is believed to be completely lost. Gradual wane of pūrvas culminated into complete loss. After 980 years of Lord Mahavira's salvation, in Vallabhī Vācanā it was declared that Dṛṣṭivāda was no longer available.
In the opinion of digambara tradition, the āgamic literature does not exist anymore. According to them, the āgamic literature was lost after 683 years of Lord Mahavira's salvation. They believe that the original aṅga literature in ardhamāgadhi Prakrit language is completely lost. In the first few centuries of the Christian Era, some portions of pūrvagata, a part of Dṛṣṭivāda were known to Shri Dharasenācārya. He thought that if even this remnant part was not inscribed properly, then the preachings of Lord Mahavira would be lost completely. Hence, he called his intellectual disciples Shri Puṣpadanta and Shri Bhūtabali and made them write it down systematically in Candragufā (cave) at Girnar. Both the scholars presented it before the Jain Sangha on the fifth day of bright fortnight of Jyeṣṭha month. This pious day has been celebrated as a festival by the name Śruta Pañcami and has become an active inspiration for the survival of literature.[3]
According to śvetambara tradition, eleven aṅgas are available in segments and the digambara tradition asserts that the eleven aṅga literature which was originally written in Ardhamāgadhī is entirely lost. Only few sections of twelth aṅga i.e. Dṛṣṭivāda are available. If we consider the beliefs of both the traditions with mutual harmony, a beautiful fact comes up that all the twelve aṅgas are available at present to some extent. This in itself is a matter of pride for the Jain tradition.
