Nyayachakra Lekh

This document is a review of the first volume of a critical edition of the Nyāyāgamānusāriṇī, a commentary by Śrī Simhasūri Gani Vādi Kṣamāśramaṇa on the Dvādaśāra Nāyacakra of Acārya Śrī Mallavādi Kṣamāśramaṇa. The review, written by J. W. de Jong, highlights the significance of this work for the study of Jainism and other Indian philosophical traditions.

Here's a summary of the key points:

• Significance of the Work: The Nyāyāgamānusāriṇī is crucial because the original Dvādaśāra Nāyacakra by Mallavādi has not been preserved. This commentary is the primary source for reconstructing Mallavādi's lost text. The reviewer emphasizes that the Nyāyāgamānusāriṇī is valuable not only for understanding Jain philosophy but also for its insights into other philosophical schools.

• The Edition: This particular edition, edited by Muni Jambūvijayaji, is the latest in a series of attempts to reconstruct and publish the Nyāyacakra. The reviewer notes previous editions and points out their shortcomings, as highlighted by E. Frauwallner. This current volume covers the first four aras (sections) of the Nayacakra.

• Editor's Dedication and Methods: The review praises Muni Jambūvijayaji's immense dedication and scholarly rigor. The editor undertook the challenging task of reconstructing the Nayacakra at the request of his guru. His approach involved extensive research, including the study of numerous quoted works, many of which were preserved only in Tibetan translations. To access these, he learned Tibetan. The discovery of an older manuscript of Simhasūri's commentary greatly aided his efforts.

• Historical and Chronological Context:

  • The edition's introduction (by Frauwallner, the editor, and in Gujarati) discusses the complex history of the project and the editor's methods.
  • The reviewer delves into the biographical information of Mallavādi, citing various traditional sources and noting discrepancies.
  • A significant point is the discussion about Mallavādi's contemporaries. Based on Simhasūri's commentary, which names philosophers like Vārsaganya, Vasurāta, Bhartṛhari, Vasubandhu, and Dignāga, the editor proposes a chronological sequence: Vasurāta - Bhartṛhari - Dignāga - Mallavādi. This challenges some traditionally accepted dates, particularly for Bhartṛhari, suggesting he lived much earlier than the 7th century CE. The reviewer acknowledges the need for more evidence to definitively establish Mallavādi's date, cautioning against relying solely on later sources like the Prabhāvakacarita.

• Philosophical Content and Importance:

  • Simhasūri's commentary provides significant information about older philosophical literature, including the Samkhya (citing the Saṣṭitantra by Vṛṣagana/Varṣaganya) and Vaiśeṣika (especially regarding the Vaiśeṣika Sūtras and its transmission).
  • The commentary's discussion of Dignāga's philosophy, particularly his apohavāda, is highlighted as a major contribution to the study of Buddhist philosophy. The editor has translated key Buddhist texts into Sanskrit to aid understanding.
  • The reviewer notes the editor's work on the Vaiśeṣika Sūtras and Candrānanda's commentary, drawing upon manuscripts that offer readings different from previously published versions.

• Manuscript Basis and Editorial Challenges:

  • The reviewer mentions the six manuscripts initially used by the editor, all stemming from a manuscript written in Vikrama 1710.
  • The discovery of an older manuscript (MS. BHA, written around Vikrama 1650) proved invaluable, providing many correct readings not found in the later manuscripts.
  • Despite the quality of both, the editor believes they descend from a common archetype due to shared errors.
  • The editor's efforts in reconstructing the Nayacakra are acknowledged as extremely difficult, involving tracing quotations from the commentary, sometimes with only partial references to the original text. The possibility of a perfectly accurate reconstruction is questioned due to limited available materials.

• Structure of the Volume: The review details the contents of the volume, which includes introductions in English, Sanskrit, and Gujarati, followed by the text of the first four aras, and a substantial appendix containing supplementary materials like Tibetan translations, lists of variations, and bibliographies.

• Overall Assessment: De Jong concludes by emphasizing the immense importance of this edition for understanding early Indian philosophy. He commends the editor's meticulous care, the extensive research involved (including tracing quotations from numerous, often rare, works), and the challenging task of translating Tibetan Buddhist texts. The review eagerly anticipates the second volume, acknowledging this first volume as a "magnum opus" that does great credit to Muni Jambūvijayaji's scholarship.