Jain Sahitya Ke Adya Puraskarta

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Jain Sahitya ke Adya Puraskarta" by Jyoti Prasad Jain, focusing on the key points about the origins and development of Jain literature:

The text argues that writing itself originated with the first Tirthankara, Lord Rishabhadeva, who taught this art to his daughter Brahmi, after whom the Brahmi script is named. While Indus Valley seals suggest a knowledge of writing thousands of years ago, the author notes a significant gap and decline in its use during the so-called Vedic period. Even the earliest Vedic texts, like the Rigveda, and later religious and philosophical works, were likely transmitted orally for a considerable time before being written down, with their precise dating being highly speculative.

The author emphasizes that oral tradition was the primary mode of knowledge transmission for centuries, even after the time of Mahavir and Buddha. Ancient Rishis and Acharyas relied heavily on memory, and terms like Shruti, Smriti, and Agama initially referred to knowledge preserved through this oral transmission. The practice of writing became more widespread in India only from the 3rd-2nd century BCE onwards, leading to the actual compilation of literary works.

The literary history of Jainism and Buddhism is traced back to around the 2nd century BCE. The Palitripitaka of Buddhism is believed to have been compiled and written down in Sri Lanka around the mid-1st century BCE. The author suggests that Jain literature, in its written form, also began around this period. However, the text highlights the Jains' greater diligence, honesty, and accuracy in preserving their literary history compared to the Buddhists, whose history relies more on external sources like Sinhalese, Chinese, and Tibetan records.

The earliest significant written compilation of Jain literature is attributed to the third Vachana (recension/compilation) led by Acharya Devardhigani Kshama Shraman in Vallabhi (Saurashtra) in the mid-5th century CE. This compilation, however, represented only a small portion of the original Dwadashanga Shrut (the twelve divisions of Jain scripture). This event opened the doors for extensive commentary, explanation, and independent works, enriching the Jain literary tradition.

The text identifies the 24 Tirthankaras from Rishabha to Mahavir as the primary originators of Jain religious literature. Following them, the Ganadharas (chief disciples) like Gautama and the Shrutakevalis (those with complete knowledge of the scriptures) like Bhadrabahu are mentioned as key figures in preserving and transmitting this knowledge orally. Later, Shrutadhara Acharyas like Kundakunda and Devardhigani further contributed to this tradition.

The author points out that by the time of the third Vachana, the Jain Sangha had already divided into two main sects: Digambara and Shvetambara. The Digambara tradition, through figures like Acharya Kundakunda and later Acharyas like Gunadhara, Dharasana, Aryamankshu, Nagahasti, Pushpadanta, and Bhutabali, focused on preserving and compiling the available Shrut, creating works like the Paahud. The Shvetambara tradition, on the other hand, accepted the surviving Shrutagama and also attempted to compile and preserve it, resulting in three Vachanas in Mathura and one in Vallabhi.

In essence, the book "Jain Sahitya ke Adya Puraskarta" posits that while writing has ancient roots in India, Jain literature as a distinct written tradition began to take shape significantly from the 2nd century BCE onwards, with a major milestone being the compilation in the 5th century CE. It emphasizes the oral transmission of scriptures through a lineage of enlightened Acharyas until the advent of widespread literacy and written compilation.