Der Sanskrit Text Von Nagarjunas Pratityasamutpada Hhrdayakarika

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided text, focusing on the Jain perspective as requested, though the text itself is primarily about Buddhist philosophy:

The document, titled "Der Sanskrit-Text Von Nagarjunas Pratityasamutpada Hhrdayakarika" by V. V. Gokhale, details the author's journey in reconstructing and identifying a Sanskrit text by the Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna. While the text is firmly rooted in Buddhist doctrine, specifically the concept of pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination or causal chain), its presentation and the discussion of its recovery touch upon themes relevant to the scholarly pursuit of religious texts, including the meticulous examination of manuscripts and comparative analysis of different traditions.

Key Points from the Text:

• Initial Research and the Ullangha Text: The author, V. V. Gokhale, began his research as part of his doctoral thesis, critically examining a Chinese text attributed to "Ullangha" from the 5th century CE. He concluded that this Ullangha text was a compendium of scholastic views on the twelve-linked causal chain of Buddhism, compiled from various Buddhist schools.
• Identification of Nāgārjuna's Contribution: Through his research, Gokhale identified a smaller text within the Ullangha compilation as originating from the renowned Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna. Tibetan sources indicate this text is called Pratītyasamutpādahrdaya (The Heart of Dependent Origination).
• Structure and Content of Nāgārjuna's Text: This rediscovered work by Nāgārjuna consists of five ārya-strophes. These five strophes appear as stanzas 26, 6, 27, 28, and 30 within the longer Ullangha text.
• Challenges in Reconstruction: Gokhale notes that only one strophe (strophe 30) is fully cited by Candrakīrti in his commentary on Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. The second half of strophe 28 is also found in various works. However, three and a half strophes of Nāgārjuna's text were considered lost in their original Sanskrit form at the time of his dissertation, prompting him to attempt a reconstruction.
• Discovery of a Manuscript in Lhasa: Twenty years after his dissertation, while representing the Indian government in Lhasa in 1949, Gokhale was shown a collection of Sanskrit manuscripts. Among these was a work of 23 folios by an unknown author, which defended Buddhist causality theory against "heretical" views, citing authorities like Ārya Sūras's Jātakamālā and Śāntideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra, alongside Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.
• The Significance of the Lhasa Manuscript: Gokhale names this newly found manuscript "Tīrthyamatalakṣaṇā nirākaraṇam" (abbreviated "Tn"). Crucially, this "Tn" manuscript contained a passage that proved instrumental in the reconstruction of the previously lost Sanskrit portions of Nāgārjuna's Pratītyasamutpādahrdayakārikā.
• Newly Discovered Sanskrit Passages: The text then presents a passage from the "Tn" manuscript, including two strophes (numbered 1 and 2 in the provided text). These strophes directly relate to the twelve links of dependent origination and their classification into afflictions (kleśa), karma, and suffering (duḥkha). The strophes are:
  1. "The twelve members designated by the Sage are produced in dependence. They are grouped into three: afflictions, karma, and suffering."
  2. "The first are the nine afflictions, karma is the second, and the remaining seven are suffering; thus, the twelve constituents are understood in three groups."
• Commentary and Scholarly Analysis: The document also includes a portion of the commentary on these strophes from the "Tn" manuscript. This commentary explains the terms, the interrelation of the twelve links, and the cyclical nature of existence (bhavacakra). Gokhale provides his own scholarly analysis and reconstructions, often comparing them to Chinese and Tibetan translations and citing variant readings from manuscripts.
• Nāgārjuna's Prtityasamutpada Hrdaya Karika: The text concludes by stating that the five-strophe original text of Nāgārjuna's Pratītyasamutpādahrdayakārikā, along with a part of its commentary by a follower, has been preserved.

Relevance to Jainism (Implicit):

While the core subject matter is Buddhist, the text's context within a Jain catalog (jainqq.org) suggests an interest in the comparative study of religious philosophies and the recovery of ancient philosophical texts. The meticulous approach to manuscript study, textual criticism, and the cross-referencing of traditions (Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan) are all methodologies that are also highly valued within Jain scholarship when examining its own vast corpus of literature. The pursuit of lost or fragmented texts and their accurate reconstruction is a common endeavor across different religious intellectual traditions. The Jain catalog likely includes works that, while not strictly Jain, are relevant to the broader study of Indian philosophy and comparative religious thought.