Agam 15 Upang 04 Pragnapana Sutra Part 01 Sthanakvasi

Agam 15 Upang 04 Pragnapana Sutra Part 01 Sthanakvasi: A Comprehensive Summary

This document is the first part of the Pragnapana Sutra, a significant Jain text, as interpreted and commented upon by Ghasilal Maharaj. The text, published by A B Shwetambar Sthanakvasi Jain Shastroddhar Samiti, is a foundational work in Jain scriptures, specifically the Upangs. The provided pages offer a glimpse into its structure and adherence to Jain devotional and disciplinary practices.

Here's a breakdown of the key elements found in the initial pages:

1. Devotional Foundation (Page 1):

• The text begins with the sacred Navkar Mantra (नमो अरिहंताणं, नमो सिद्धाणं, नमो आयरियाणं, नमो उवजझाय | णं, नमो लोए सव्वसाहूणं | एसो पंच नमुक्कारो | सव्वपावप्पणासणो | मंगलाणं च सव्वेसिं | पढमं हवइ मंगलं ॥). This invocation is a cornerstone of Jain worship, expressing reverence to the Arihants, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas, and all the Sadhus in the world. It is considered the most auspicious of all auspicious things and the destroyer of all sins.

2. Scholarly and Publication Details (Pages 2-5):

• Author and Publisher: The work is attributed to P.P. Acharya Shri Ghanshilalji Maharaj and published by Shri Akhil Bharat S. S. Jain Shastroddhara Samiti, Garedia Kuva Road, Rajkot (Saurashtra), W. Ry, India. This indicates a strong lineage and commitment to the preservation and dissemination of Jain scriptures within the Sthanakvasi tradition.
• Publication Information: The text includes details about its first edition, with a print run of 1200 copies. It is dated Veer Samvat 2500, Vikram Samvat 2030, and 1974 AD. The price is mentioned as Rs. 35.00.
• Hindi-Gujarati Translation and Commentary: Page 4 explicitly states that the text is enriched with the commentary of Prameyabodhini by Jain Acharya, Jain Dharmadivakar, Pujya Shri Ghasilalji Maharaj, and includes a Hindi-Gujarati translation. This highlights the accessibility and interpretive nature of this edition, making the original Prakrit text understandable to a wider audience.
• Inspirational Verse (Page 5): The publication is prefaced with a Sanskrit verse (followed by its Hindi translation) which emphasizes the importance of time and the availability of knowledge across a vast universe. It suggests that the right person will emerge in the right time to understand and propagate the essence of the teachings, hinting at the divine purpose behind such scriptural endeavors. The verse is:

  "ये नाम केचिदिह नः प्रथयन्त्यवज्ञां, जानन्ति ते किमपि तान् प्रति नैष यत्नः । उत्पत्स्यतेऽस्ति मम कोऽपि समानधर्मा, कालोऽद्ययं निरवधिर्विपुला च पृथ्वी ॥ १ ॥" (Translation: "Those who show disdain for us, knowing something of the essence, there is no effort for them. Someone like me will be born, finding the essence. Time is endless, the earth is vast, keep this in mind.")

3. Scholarly Rules for Study (Swadhyaya) (Pages 6-10):

• This section provides detailed instructions on the proper way to study the Pragnapana Sutra, outlining periods of study, times to avoid study (Aswadhyaya), and specific circumstances that warrant avoidance.
  • Study Times: The original text should be studied during the first and fourth quarters of the day and night.
  • Times to Avoid: Study should not be undertaken during dawn, dusk, midday, and midnight for specific durations (two ghadika or 48 minutes), and also 24 minutes before and after sunrise.
  • Aswadhyaya (Impure Periods) Related to Women: Study is prohibited for women during their menstrual cycle and also when in their presence. Study can only be done in a separate, clean room where they are not present.
  • Aswadhyaya (Impure Periods) - External and Physical: A comprehensive list of 32 situations to avoid study is provided, categorized into:
    • 10 Sky-Related (Aakash Sambandhi): These include falling stars (Ulkapata), directional fire (Digdah), terrifying thunder (Garjarav), divine or cloud-related thunder with lightning (Nirghat), lightning (Vidyut), specific twilight conditions (Yupak), flashes of light in the sky (Yakshadipt), smoky fog (Dhumika Krishna), white fog (Mahika Shwet), and dust storms (Rajaudat).
    • 10 Body-Related (Audarik Sharir Sambandhi): These include seeing burnt bones/flesh/blood that cannot be completely burned or washed, a broken egg, feces/urine and their smell, being near a cremation ground (100 hands vicinity), lunar and solar eclipses (with specific durations), royal disturbances (Rajavyagrata), death of a prominent person until cremation and appointment of a successor, and the presence of a dead body of a five-sensed being within or near the place of study (100 hands).
    • Specific Festival/Day Related (4 Mahotsav and 4 Pratipada): Four specific festival full moons (Bhut Mahotsav, Indra Mahotsav, Skanda Mahotsav, Yaksha Mahotsav) and the following four pratipada (first day of the lunar fortnight) in the dark half of the month are designated as periods of Aswadhyaya.
    • Time-Related: Redness in directions at dawn and dusk (one ghadika before and after sunrise/sunset), and midday/midnight (one ghadika before and after) are also times of Aswadhyaya.
  • Linguistic Note: The text clarifies that these Aswadhyaya rules are for the original text, not for translations into Gujarati or other languages. It emphasizes the importance of humility and following the guidance of elders or gurus in such critical situations.

4. Table of Contents (Vishayanukramanika) (Pages 11-12):

• This detailed index outlines the structure of the first part of the Pragnapana Sutra, listing the topics covered page by page. It includes:
  • Mangalacharan (Invocation)
  • Nature and Purpose of Pragnapana
  • Vandana to Lord Mahavir
  • Study and Classification of Pragnapana
  • Pragnapana of Ajiva (Non-living)
  • Rupi Ajiva (Formed Non-living) and Arupi Ajiva (Formless Non-living)
  • Relationship between Jiva (Living) and Varna (Color)
  • Pragnapana of Rupi Ajiva
  • Pragnapana of Jiva
  • Classification of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Vegetation bodies (Prithvikaya, Appkaya, Teu, Vayu, Vanaspatikaya)
  • Classification of Vegetation bodies (Sabadha Vanaspatikaya, Badar Vanaspatikaya)
  • Ananta Jiva (Infinite Souls)
  • Stages of Seeds and General characteristics of Jiva
  • Classification of Jivas from two-sensed to five-sensed
  • Detailed classification of five-sensed beings including Naraka, Aquatic, Terrestrial, Avian, and Human beings
  • Description of Celestial beings (Deva)
  • Detailed classification of celestial realms and beings
  • Pragnapana of Siddhas (Liberated Souls)

5. Biographical Information (Page 13):

• The text includes a biographical sketch of Shri Bhuriben, the wife of Shreshthi Shri Amulakhchand Malukchandbhai Kothari from Palanpur. It highlights her charitable contributions, particularly her role in establishing a Shrvika Shala (school for Jain women), emphasizing her spiritual inclination, devotion to gurus, and commitment to making knowledge accessible. This dedication is presented as the motivation for the financial support provided by the Kothari family for the publication of the Pragnapana Sutra.

6. Mangalacharan (Invocation) (Pages 15-32):

• This section contains the actual invocation to Lord Mahavir, elaborating on his qualities as the source of Pragna (wisdom). It details the lineage of the gurus and Acharyas who have preserved and propagated the teachings, culminating in the current commentator, Ghasilal Maharaj. The text explains the purpose of starting with a mangalacharan, which is to remove obstacles, aid in understanding, and ensure the continuity of the scriptural tradition. The initial verses are analyzed in detail, explaining the etymology of terms and the significance of revering the Siddhas and Lord Mahavir as the embodiment of knowledge and purity.

7. Initial Sutras and Commentary (Pages 18-46):

• The document then delves into the actual sutras of the Pragnapana, starting with the fundamental question and definition of Pragnapana (knowledge and its impartation). It introduces the two primary categories: Jiva Pragnapana (knowledge of living beings) and Ajiva Pragnapana (knowledge of non-living beings).
• The commentary explains the meaning of Pragnapana as the precise and comprehensive exposition of the true nature of reality, a task beyond the reach of heterodox philosophers.
• The text then introduces the classification of Ajiva into Rupi Ajiva (form-containing non-living) and Arupi Ajiva (formless non-living).
• Rupi Ajiva is further elaborated to include Skandhas (aggregates), Skandha Desha (parts of aggregates), Skandha Pradesh (regions of aggregates), and Paramanu Pudgala (fundamental non-living particles).
• The detailed breakdown of the 36 padas (sections or topics) of the Pragnapana Sutra is presented in pages 11-12, covering a vast range of philosophical and cosmological concepts within Jainism, including the nature of time, senses, soul, karma, heavens, hells, and celestial beings.

In essence, this part of the Pragnapana Sutra, as presented here, lays the groundwork for understanding the Jain worldview by starting with core devotional practices, outlining rigorous study methodologies, and introducing the fundamental philosophical classifications of existence, while also emphasizing the importance of tradition and lineage in preserving and transmitting this knowledge. The detailed breakdown of categories and their sub-categories demonstrates the analytical rigor of Jain philosophy.