Buchbesprechungen Comptes Rendues

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, which is a book review by W.B. Bollée:

Book Review Summary: Bhadrabahu's Brhatkalpa-niryukti and Brhatkalpa-bhasya by Willem B. Bollée

This review, published in "Buchbesprechungen/Comptes Rendus," focuses on a three-part work by Willem B. Bollée concerning two significant Jain texts: the Brhatkalpa-niryukti and the Brhatkalpa-bhasya. These texts are identified as exegetical literature associated with the "real" Kalpasūtra (also known as Vedakalpa or Brhat(sādhu)kalpa), and distinct from the Paryuṣaṇa-Kalpa.

Bollée's Approach and Methodology:

Bollée explains that due to the vast, complicated, and underexplored nature of Jaina exegetical literature, he opted for a third approach in his study: presenting the entire text as a basis for further study, accompanied by a complete or ample selection of important words. His primary focus is on the vocabulary, with the text itself serving mainly as a reference. He aims for his glossary to be useful for existing and upcoming dictionaries of Prakrit and Indo-Aryan languages.

The core of Bollée's work consists of the Prakrit text of the Brhatkalpa-niryukti and the Brhatkalpa-bhasya, which form the bulk of Parts 1 and 2. Part 3 is dedicated to a glossary of selected words (253 pages), which includes their Sanskrit equivalents and references to commentary or secondary literature.

Key Features and Content:

• Textual Basis: The primary source for the text is the six-volume Brhatkalpabhāṣya edited by Chaturvijaya and Punyavijaya. Bollée also consulted editions of related works like the Avaśyaka- and Oha-Niryukti, and Nisitha- and Viśesavaśyaka-Bhasya, to identify variant readings, especially where the Brhatkalpabhāṣya borrows from or is borrowed by these texts. The review notes that the Niryukti is presented in italics and the Bhasya in ordinary print.
• Glossary: The "Glossary of Selected Words" is extensive, listing 253 pages of words. It is supplemented by "Additions and Corrections to the Glossary" and "Additions to the Remarkable Sanskrit words from the Commentary," although the reviewer notes the unfortunate absence of these additions within the main glossary itself.
• Unexpected Additions: The reviewer highlights several unexpected inclusions within the work:
  • Corrections to Bollée's own previous publications on the Pinda- and Oha-Niryuktis.
  • An appendix featuring Elfrun Linke's "Glossary of Schubring's Doctrine of the Jainas," which is considered particularly useful for users of the English version of Schubring's work.
• Limited Exegetical Analysis: Bollée explicitly states that a deep analysis of the contents or a translation of the texts was not his primary intention. He notes that a summary of the Brhatkalpabhāṣya's contents and a translation of the Kalpasūtra were added later, seemingly as an afterthought.
• Concise Explanation of Jaina Exegetical Literature: Bollée offers a brief explanation of how niryuktis and bhāṣyas evolved, suggesting that niryuktis began as metrical memory aids for monastic teachers, and bhāṣyas (meaning "explanations" or "commentaries") were added as topics expanded, leading to the swelling of the original niryuktis.
• Disagreement with Alsdorf: The review points out Bollée's disagreement with L. Alsdorf's views on the chronological order and nature of Jaina bhāṣyas. While Alsdorf suggests bhāṣyas might follow cūrṇis and vrttis, Bollée implies that bhāṣya stanzas contain key words that later exegetical prose texts (cūrṇi, ṭikā) elaborate on. He also criticizes other scholars for not distinguishing clearly between the different strata of Jaina exegetical literature (niryukti, bhāṣya, cūrṇi, vrtti), a distinction he emphasizes.
• Structure: The three parts of the publication each have their own preface and are dedicated to different individuals.

In essence, Bollée's publication is a foundational scholarly resource providing the raw material (the Prakrit texts and a comprehensive glossary) for future in-depth study of the Brhatkalpa-niryukti and Brhatkalpa-bhasya. While it does not offer extensive interpretive analysis, its detailed textual presentation and vocabulary focus are deemed valuable for advancing the understanding of complex Jaina scriptural traditions.