Prameykamal Marttand Ka Sampadan Ek Samiksha

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Prameykamal Marttand ka Sampadan Ek Samiksha" by Fulchandra Jain Shatri:

This review focuses on the scholarly editing and publication of the Prameykamal Marttand, a significant Jain philosophical text, by Dr. Mahendrakumar Nyayacharya. The author, Fulchandra Jain Premi, praises Dr. Mahendrakumar for his dedication to resurrecting and editing complex and rare ancient Jain philosophical works, highlighting his exceptional scholarship, talent, diligent effort, and unwavering enthusiasm.

The text begins by discussing the tradition of commentaries on ancient sutra texts within Indian philosophy, noting that the Jain tradition also has numerous commentaries on its primary Sanskrit sutra text in Jain Nyaya, the Parikshamukha Sutra by Acharya Manikyanandi (8th century). The review then lists prominent commentaries on this work, categorizing them into:

Published Commentaries:

• Prameykamal Marttand (also known as Parikshamukhalankar) by Acharya Prabhachandra (11th century).
• Prameyaratnamala by Acharya Laghu Anantvirya (early 12th century), published in 1964.
• Prameyaratnamalankar by Bhattarak Abhinav Charukirti (19th century), published in 1948.
• Prameyakanthika by Shanti Varni, published by Bharatiya Jnanpith.

Unpublished Commentaries:

• Nyayamanidipika by Bhattarak Ajitsen (VS 1980).
• Prameyaratnamala Arthaprakashika by Vijaychandra.
• Prameyaratnamala-Parikshamukha Bhasha Vachnika by Pt. Jaichandji Chawda (19th century).

Manuscripts of many of these commentaries, both published and unpublished, are preserved in the Jain Siddhant Bhavan in Arrah, Bihar.

The Prameykamal Marttand was first published by Nirnaysagar Press in Mumbai, edited by Pt. Banshidharji Shastri. A second, significantly enhanced edition was published in 1941, also by Nirnaysagar Press, under the editorship of Dr. Mahendrakumar Nyayacharya. This edition is lauded as an exemplary standard of scholarship for its time and remains an unparalleled example of scholarly editing even today. It features a comprehensive study with extensive commentary, a detailed introduction, and numerous appendices.

Dr. Mahendrakumar's edition is highlighted as a significant improvement because it presented the original text (mala granth) in a more accessible way. Prior to this, readers often faced difficulties understanding the core meaning of the original text. The review notes with pleasure that about four decades after Dr. Mahendrakumar's edition, a Hindi translation with detailed explanations was published in three volumes by Aryika Jinamato Mataji, based on his edited version. This translation has made the text accessible to a wider audience and facilitated its study in university curricula.

Introduction to the Text:

The Prameykamal Marttand, a commentary of twelve thousand verses on Acharya Manikyanandi's Parikshamukha Sutra, is described as more than just a commentary. Acharya Prabhachandra, through this work, not only clarified the original sutras but also presented the views of various contemporary Indian philosophers and logicians as purvapaksha (initial arguments) and then refuted them with irrefutable uttarapaksha (counter-arguments) based on anekanta (non-absolutism) and strong evidence. This comprehensive approach established Jain Nyaya and paved the way for its development, leading to the work being recognized as an original treatise as well. The name "Prameykamal Marttand" is interpreted as the "sun that illuminates the lotuses of prameya (knowable objects)" and "destroys the darkness of false attachments," aptly reflecting its purpose.

Acharya Prabhachandra is credited with writing twelve works, including the Prameykamal Marttand, but he is primarily known for these two Nyaya texts. In these works, he meticulously studied and analyzed the core tenets of various Indian philosophical schools, presenting them as purvapaksha based on their original authentic texts. The Prameykamal Marttand is so comprehensive that it can be used to understand the entirety of ancient Indian philosophy, with its primary focus being the discussion of pramana (means of valid knowledge).

Salient Features of the Editing:

Dr. Mahendrakumar Nyayacharya's edition of Prameykamal Marttand is considered a benchmark of excellent and ideal scholarship. Reviewers universally praise his profound erudition, immense labor, and dedication to literature. The significance of his comprehensive comparative study is evident in the extensive footnotes provided on every page.

In his editorial preface, Dr. Mahendrakumar himself outlines the features of his edition. He undertook the task at the insistence of Shri Kundanlalji Jain and Pt. Sukhlalji while also editing Nyayakumudchandra. He based his edition on the first edition edited by Pt. Banshidharji Shastri, focusing on purifying the original text, classifying subjects, indicating quotations, and using punctuation to improve readability. While initially intending to enrich the text with comparative and explanatory notes, similar to his Nyayakumudchandra edition, financial constraints and press limitations meant that only the first chapter received extensive annotations. The rest of the edition prioritized textual purity.

Despite these limitations, Dr. Mahendrakumar's second edition offers several advancements over the first:

• Scientific Organization: It features a clear and detailed table of contents, numerous appendices, and an index, making it easier for readers to navigate the extensive text.
• Integration of Sutras: Recognizing the alternate title of the text as Parikshamukhalankar, the edition systematically integrates the Parikshamukha sutras before their respective commentaries, clarifying the beginning and end of each commentary.
• Correction of Errors: Errors related to context and meaning have been corrected.
• Preservation of Annotations: While the annotations in the first edition were taken from a single manuscript and contained some inconsistencies, Dr. Mahendrakumar preserved their original character and supplemented them with annotations from other manuscripts.
• Identification of Quotations: A significant and arduous task undertaken by Dr. Mahendrakumar was the identification and demarcation of numerous quotations from Jain and non-Jain texts that Acharya Prabhachandra had used for support. These quotations are presented in inverted commas ("...."). Furthermore, he diligently traced these quotations to their original sources, providing the names of the texts and page numbers in parentheses. For unknown sources, blank brackets were left to encourage future scholars to fill in the missing information.

The 78-page scholarly introduction by Pt. Mahendrakumar offers a detailed exposition of the personalities and works of the original author, Acharya Manikyanandi, and Acharya Prabhachandra. It also provides a crucial comparative analysis of the Prameykamal Marttand with the works of numerous Jain and non-Jain philosophers, both preceding and succeeding. This comparative study is invaluable for research. The introduction meticulously cites references from texts like the Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, Puranas, Mahabharata, Gita, Patanjali, Bhartrihari, and Vyasa Bhashya, as well as references from Sankhya and other philosophers. This endeavor has shed light on many lost texts, authors, and references.

The review cites an example where Acharya Prabhachandra quotes an inference from "Prashastamati," which is not found in Prashastapada Bhashya. Similarly, Acharya Prabhachandra cites certain verses and karkas from Sankhya philosophy that are not found in available texts. His refutations of many points in Acharya Vyomashiva's Vyomavati commentary (an ancient commentator on Prashastapada Bhashya) have aided in determining Vyomashiva's correct period. The review also mentions Acharya Prabhachandra's extensive engagement with over fifty works and authors from various Vedic philosophers (like Udyotkara, Jayantabhatta, Vacaspati, Shabara Rishi, Kumarila, Mandanamishra, Prabhakara, Shankaracharya, Sureshvara) and Buddhist philosophers (like Ashvaghosha, Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, Dignaga, Dharmakirti, Prabhakara Gupta, Shantarakshita, Kamalasheela, Archata, Dharmottara, and Jnanashri), as well as from both Digambara and Shvetambara Jain traditions.

Following this substantial introduction, the edition presents a comparative analysis of the Parikshamukha sutras with numerous other texts such as Nyayapravesh, Nyayabindu, Nyayavinishchaya, Nyayasara, Nyayavatara, Pramananayattattvalokalankara, Pramanapariksha, Pramanamimamsa, Pramanasamgraha, Laghiyastraya Svavritti, etc. This comparison clearly illustrates the "mirror image" relationship between the sutras.

The book concludes with meticulously researched appendices, including the text of the Parikshamukha sutras, the quotations found in the Prameykamal Marttand, glossaries of key terms from both texts, a list of mentioned texts and authors, a specialized vocabulary index, and finally, the variant readings from the manuscript at the Jain Siddhant Bhavan in Arrah.

The 694-page main text, with its clear exposition of each sutra's subject matter, detailed presentation of purvapaksha and uttarapaksha with various proofs, and explanatory notes for context and difficult words, greatly facilitates understanding.

In conclusion, the excellent editing of the Prameykamal Marttand has not only brought the importance and utility of the text to light but has also earned it high regard within the broader field of Indian philosophy. This work showcases Dr. Mahendrakumar's erudition, editing prowess, deep understanding of other philosophical systems, respectful attitude towards them, and his extensive capacity for comparative study and research, which naturally inspires admiration and respect. The review asserts that Dr. Mahendrakumar, through his editing of this and other texts, his original thinking, and his writing, shines as a beacon among great Indian philosophers.

The review then briefly shifts to discuss Nyayakumudchandra, edited by Dr. Mahendrakumar Jain Nyayacharya, by Dr. Jaykumar Jain. This section praises Dr. Mahendrakumar's expertise in editing ancient Sanskrit texts, specifically mentioning his edited version of Nyayakumudchandra, a commentary on the Laghiyastraya of Akalankadeva, which itself comprises approximately twenty thousand verses. This editing is described as a testament to his knowledge of Jain and non-Jain Nyaya. The Nyayakumudchandra was published in two parts by Shri Manikchand Digambar Jain Granthamala in Bombay. The reviewer highlights that the extensive annotations drawn from Jain and non-Jain texts by Pt. Mahendrakumar are the heart of his editing. These annotations have clarified numerous philosophical and historical enigmas and provided valuable research material for critical scholars. They have also greatly assisted in determining the chronology of various scholars and assessing the inter-exchange of material between them. The direct quotes from many scholars in the original text have led to the discovery of many lost texts and their authors. Thus, through the editing of Nyayakumudchandra, a synthesis of various schools of all philosophies and Nyaya has been achieved in one place, offering a comprehensive understanding of Indian philosophies and Nyaya tenets. For authenticity, a photographic reproduction of a page from the original manuscript is also included. The introduction by Pt. Kailashchandra Shastri, former Principal of Syadvada Mahavidyalaya, Kashi, discusses Siddhivinishchaya and Pramanasamgraha and compares Nyayakumudchandra with texts from other philosophical schools.