Dr. Samani Shashi Pragya
In the Prāmaṇa age, the Jain ācāryas acted as security guards in developing the earlier 'ācāryas' view regarding anekānta. In this period of the eighth century CE, again we come to the two great exponents of Jaina philosophy, who tried to spread the Jain principles far and wide and thereby contributed much to the upliftment of the Jain religion. They are Ācārya Hanbhadra (705-755 CE) and Akalamka (720-780 CE). They were most celebrated writers on Jain logic. Akalamka is called 'the crest gem in the circle of all logicians'. He wrote a commentary on Tattvārtha Sūtra named Tattvārtharājvārtika, while Haribhadra (7th cent. CE) is described as having protected the words of the arhat like a mother, by his 1400 works. Logic had gained a very important place during this era. Haribhadra and Akalamka devoted themselves to the study of Jain logic, they entered into the wide discussion with their opponents and thereby, they carried the Jain mission. Ācārya Haribhadra wrote a book, “Anekānta Jaya Patakā” for overcoming refutations made against anekānta by the non-Jain scholars. Ācārya Akalamka wrote a commentary on Āpta Mīmāmsā named Aṣtasahasrī, in which, he gave logical solutions to the Buddhist and other philosophical schools.
It is for the first time that we came across a very minute and scholarly description of the doctrine of syādvāda. The important treatment of Indian philosophy in the Saddarśanasamuccaya of Haribhadra and its popularity among the scholars preserves the fame of Haribhadra even now. Moreover, he wrote Anekānta Praveśa, Sāstravārtā Sammuccaya, Sarvagyasiddhi etc.
Afterwards, we come to the great logicians, Abhyadeva and Vidyānanda belonging to the early part of 9th cent. CE, both the learned Jainas gave a very prominent place to logic (Jaina Nyāya) in the world of philosophy. Here we find a synthetic review of the Sāṃkhya, Yoga, Vaiśesikā, Advaita, Mīmāmsā and Buddhist philosophy.
idyānanda in his works Aṣtasahasrī and Ślokavārtika expounded the various logical principles of the Jainas, syādvād, anekānta etc. with the special criticism to non-Jain doctrines. Abhayadeva, on the other hand, is the author of a treatise on logic called Vādamahārṇava or 'the Ocean of Discussions' a commentary on the Sanmati Tarka. He is described as a lion, who roamed at ease in the wild forest of books on logic.
Coming to the twelfth century, we meet Māṇikyanandi (9th cent. CE), Prabhāchandra, Vadideva (10th- 12th cent. A.D) and Hemachandra (1088-1172 cent. CE) the well-known figures in Jaina Literature. Māṇikyanandi wrote Parīkṣāmukha and Prabhāchandra wrote Prameya Kamal Mārtanda and both of them tried to highlight the pramāna, naya and anekānta. Vādidevāchārya was a great debater and it is said that as a debater, he beckoned to have no rival. To establish the doctrine of syādvāda, and nayavāda, he wrote Pramāṇa-naya tattva-lokālankāra and a voluminous exposition of it, called Syādvādaratnākara. Hemcandra is the most celebrated author in Jainism. He composed thirty two verses called Anyayoga-vyavacchedikā, a beautiful exposition of the six systems, in a very lucid and charming language. He also wrote prāmaṇa mimāṃsā, which is considered as the landmarks on Jain philosophical texts. With him, there comes an end of Pramāna Vyavasthā age.
