Jain Vyakaran Ki Visheshtaye - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text "Jain Vyakaran ki Visheshtaye" (Features of Jain Grammar) by Bansidhar Pandit:

The article "Features of Jain Grammar" by Bansidhar Pandit emphasizes the profound importance of grammar (vyakaran) for the development and preservation of any language and, by extension, its associated culture and civilization.

The Universal Importance of Language and Grammar:

Enabling Communication: The author begins by stating that without language, all living beings would be as mute as stones. Language is crucial for humans to express their intentions and for all social interactions.
Foundation of Society: The entire edifice of worldly affairs relies on language. Even the study of language (linguistics) can be a path towards liberation.
Defining Language Excellence: A language's prestige and popularity stem from the abundance and sweetness of its words, as well as the richness of their meanings.
The Necessity of Grammar: To achieve this richness and clarity, grammar is essential. Without grammatical rules, creating words and their meanings would be an endless and impossible task, leading to a breakdown in language usage. Grammar, through "special refinement" (vis sanskar visheshena) and "completeness" (samantata), is what creates and organizes words.
Grammar as the Gateway: Grammar is described as the "doorway" to understanding language, analogous to how a mouth is essential for the survival of any living being. A language without grammar is like a being without a mouth – difficult to survive, if not impossible.

The Power of Literature and the Role of Grammar:

Literature's Dependence on Language: The essence of a language lies in its literature. Poets, as creators of literature, seek sweet and meaningful words. A lack of such words hinders the creation of beautiful and captivating literature, leading to the decline of the language itself.

The Excellence of Sanskrit Grammar and its Contrast:

Sanskrit's Enduring Presence: Sanskrit's continued presence worldwide is attributed to its extensive and accessible literature, which in turn is due to its robust grammar.
Word Derivation: Sanskrit grammar possesses a unique ability to create numerous words from a single root word through prefixes and suffixes (e.g., "hṛ" forming words like hār, vihār, āhār, saṃhār, prahār, nihār).
Limitations of Other Languages: No other language's grammar has achieved this level of word derivation, limiting the freedom of literary creators. Even with a large body of literature in languages like English, poets often resort to repetition and extensive word invention.
Factors Affecting Sanskrit's Current Reach: The author posits that Sanskrit's current limited reach isn't due to a lack of grammar or literature, but rather to people's inability to access its deeper meanings, the decline of royal patronage, and the natural tendency of language to change without state support. He laments that if Sanskrit were a state language, it would foster religiosity and the development of "Āryan culture," which is seen as crucial for avoiding subjugation.

Jain Grammar within the Sanskrit Tradition:

Adoption of Sanskrit by Indian Philosophies: All Indian philosophical systems have adopted Sanskrit due to its comprehensiveness and expressive power.
Independent Grammars for Doctrinal Support: Scholars devoted to a particular philosophy create their own supporting literature and, crucially, their own grammars. This is because having an independent grammar prevents a philosophical system from being accused of dependence or being considered "modern" or "inferior" (despite its potential antiquity). This is why numerous Sanskrit grammars have been created.
Prominent Sanskrit Grammars and Grammarians: The author lists several well-known Sanskrit grammars and grammarians, including Aiṅdra, Cāndra, Kāśakr̥tsna, Kaumāra, Śākaṭāyana, Sārasvata, Cāpiśala, Śākala, and Pāṇinīya. He highlights that Śākaṭāyana and Jainendra are Jain grammarians.
The Debate on Śākaṭāyana's Antiquity: The author discusses the debate regarding the antiquity of Śākaṭāyana's grammar, particularly in relation to Pāṇini. He notes that Pāṇini references Śākaṭāyana, implying Śākaṭāyana predates Pāṇini. He also mentions that Pāṇini references other grammarians like Āpiśala, Kāśakr̥tsna, and Śākala, suggesting they too are older than Pāṇini, who lived during the Nanda dynasty.
Refuting the "Two Śākaṭāyanas" Theory: The author counters the argument that there were two Śākaṭāyanas (one Jain, one non-Jain) to suggest the Jain Śākaṭāyana was later than Pāṇini. He argues that grammarians prioritize word-formation and not doctrinal support. If this weren't the case, Jain scholars like Kāśikākāra wouldn't have commented on Pāṇini's grammar, and non-Jains wouldn't study Jain texts.
The Significance of Jainendra Grammar: The name "Jainendra" itself indicates its Jain origin. The author notes two versions of Jainendra grammar, one with the commentary "Jainendra Mahāvr̥tti" by Pūjyapādācārya (also known as Devanandin) and another with the commentary "Śabdārṇavacaṁdrikā." He delves into the scholarly debate about whether these are independent grammars or variants of each other, noting the significant similarity in their sutras.

The Superiority of Jain Grammar: Emphasis on Brevity and Clarity:

Mention of Other Jain Grammarians: Jainendra grammar mentions other grammarians like Samantabhadra, Rābhūtabala, and Siddhasena, though their grammatical works are lost, possibly due to sectarian rivalry. This indicates the significant contribution of Jain scholars to grammar.
Abundance of Jain Grammarians: The author boldly claims that Jain tradition has produced more grammarians than perhaps any other sect.
Need for Publishing Jain Grammatical Works: While commentaries and sub-commentaries on Jain grammars exist, they need to be brought to light. However, their extent is not as vast as the commentaries on Pāṇini's grammar, partly because Pāṇini's grammar was heavily promoted by Vedic scholars, while Jains have neglected its promotion.
The Principle of Brevity (Laghuṭā): The core strength of any grammar lies in its brevity, achieved through conciseness in its process (prakriyā), explanation (pratipatti), and terminology (saṁjñā). Jain grammars meticulously adhere to this principle.
Processual Brevity: For example, while Pāṇini uses different suffixes (ṅīp, ṅīṣ, ṅīn) to indicate subtle vowel changes, Jainendra grammar efficiently uses a single suffix (ṅī) for the same purpose.
Terminological Brevity: Jain grammars also achieve brevity in their technical terms. For instance, they replace Pāṇini's sarva saṁjñā with svasaṁjñā, pratipādikā saṁjñā with mr̥t saṁjñā, and sabhāsa saṁjñā with sakhaṁjñā. This upholds the principle that "grammarians consider a half-syllable reduction a cause for celebration."
Clarity in Exposition: This brevity in process and terminology leads to clarity in understanding (pratipatti), making the subject matter easier to grasp.
Efficient Use of It Suffix: Jainendra grammar simplifies the it (iti) suffix rules by adopting the single rule of aprayogīta, eliminating the need for multiple rules.
Kātantra Grammar as an Example: The Kātantra grammar, with its significant brevity in exposition, is popular in Bengal and taught at Calcutta Sanskrit College, showcasing the importance of such brevity.
Lost Potential for Jain Grammar Promotion: The author believes that Jain grammars could gain popularity like Kātantra, but this requires Jains themselves to recognize and promote their value. The success of Kātantra was due to others recognizing its merit, even if they were unaware of its Jain origins.
The Superiority of Jainendra Pañcādhyāyī: The author claims that anything not achievable with Pāṇini's Aṣṭādhyāyī can be easily accomplished with Jainendra's Pañcādhyāyī. He notes that Pāṇini's perceived shortcomings were addressed by Kātāyana (Vārtikakāra) and Patañjali (Bhāṣyakāra), but there is no word that Pāṇini, Kātāyana, and Patañjali established that cannot be established by Jainendra's grammar.
The Role of Grammar in Cultural Preservation: Language propagation leads to the spread of one's culture and protection from foreign influences. This is why Muslim and European rulers patronized their languages. Similarly, Jain ācāryas have historically adopted Jain grammars, recognizing their role in preserving Jain culture. Figures like Akalaṅka Deva, Prabhācandrācārya, and Vidyānanda Swami upheld the dignity of Jain grammar, and later scholars like Paṇḍit Āśādhar and Kavi Arhadās achieved prominence through it.
Grammar for the Propagation of Dharma and Philosophy: Jain ācāryas created grammars not just for linguistic utility but to promote their religion and philosophy. They used examples from their own Dharma in grammatical rules, fostering a sense of reverence. The author contrasts Pāṇini's example (ramaṇte yogino yasminniti rāmaḥ - "He in whom yogis delight is Rāma") with Jainendra's (saṁsārikasukh-duḥkhataḥ uttamē mōkhasukhē dhārayatīti dharmaḥ - "He who holds the highest happiness of liberation from worldly joys and sorrows is Dharma"). These examples, imbued with religious sentiment, influence young minds.
The Interdependence of Svāsamaya and Parāsamaya: The author concludes by emphasizing the vital connection between svāsamaya (one's own doctrines, spiritual texts) and parāsamaya (grammar, logic, literature). Just as a treasury and army depend on each other, spiritual texts require the support of disciplines like grammar and logic for their systematic understanding and benefit. Without svāsamaya, the parāsamaya is useless, and vice-versa. The neglect of either leads to the decline of society and its literature. Therefore, it is the paramount duty of the Jain community to protect and revitalize these foundational elements of their heritage.