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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s16: Course of Study

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s16

Language
English

Course of Study

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The *Vedas*, which are represented as the earliest literature on India, must have been the main topics of study. The three *Vedas*, viz, *Ruuveya*, Jauvveya and Sāmaveya are mentioned in the Thāṇāṅga.¹³ The following curriculum of study comprising the Vedic branches of learning are mentioned :— Ruvveya, Jauvveya, Sāmaveya, Athavvaṇaveya, Itihāsa (Purāṇa), the fifth Veda, Nighaṇṭu, the sixth Veda; six Veāṅgas comprising saṅkhāṇa (arithmetic), sikkha (phonetics), kappa (ritual), vāgaraṇa (grammar), chanda (metre), nirutta (exegesis), and joisa (astronomy-astrology) ; six Upāṅgas, which comprised further elaborations of the subjects dealt within the Vedāṅgas and Satthitanta, which was an authoritative treatise on the Sāṃkhya School.¹⁴ The Uttarādhyayana commentary mentions the following fourteen subjects of study (vijjaṭṭhāṇa) :—four Vedas, six Vedāṅgas, Mīmāṃsā, Nāya, Purāṇa and Dhammasattha.¹⁵

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¹³ 3. 3. 185. According to Jain tradition the Ārya Vedas are said to have been composed by Bharaha and others which contained the laudation of the Titthayaras, the duties prescribed for laymen and monks, propitiatory deeds and the like, later on, Sulasā, Yājñavalkya, Tantugrīva and others composed the Anārya Vedas which are the present Vedas (Āva. cū 215, Sūya. cū p. 16) According to another tradition, however, the twelve Aṅgas are called the Vedas (Āva cū 5, p 185).

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¹⁴ Bhag 2 1, Ovā 38, p 172

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¹⁵ 3. p 56a. The Milindapañha (p 3) gives the following nineteen arts and sciences (sippa) (1) suti (holy tradition), (2) sammuti (secular law), (3) saṅkhyā, (4) yogā, (5) nīti (nyāya), (6) visesikā, (7) gaṇikā (arithmetic), (8) gandhabbā (music), (9) tikiccā (medicine), (10) catubbedā, (11) purāṇā, (12) itihāsā, (13) jotisā, (14) māyā (magic), (15) hetu (causation), (16) mantanā (polity), (17)yuddha (art of war), (18) chandasā (poetry) and (19) muddā (conveyancing); also cf Yājñavalkya smṛti, 1 3, Mahābhā, XII 122 31 also Dīgha I, p 88

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Further, the Aṇuyogadvāra¹⁶ and Nandi,¹⁷ which are of late origin, mention the following works on popular learning (laukika suya). Bhāraha, Rāmāyaṇa¹⁸, Bhīmāsurukka (or o kkha)¹⁹, Kodillaya,²⁰ Ghodayamuha,²¹ Sagaḍibhaddaū, Kappāsa, Nāgasuhuma, Kaṇagasattari,²² Vesiya, Vaisesiya, Buddhasāsana, Kavila, Logāyata,²³ Satthiyanta, Mādhara, Purāṇa, Vāgaraṇa, Nāḍaga, seventy two arts, and the four Vedas with Aṅgas and Upāṅgas. The Nandi Sūtra adds Terāsiya, Bhāgava, Pāyañjali, and Pussadeva.²⁴

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¹⁶ Sū. 40 f

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¹⁷ Sū 42, p 193 a

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¹⁸ The Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata were recited or listened to during the earlier (pūrvāhna) or the latter part of the day (aparāhna) respectively Both are cited as examples of Bhāvāsayaha a compulsory rite which must be done without fail (Anu. Sū 25).

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¹⁹ Bhambhī and Āsurukkha are referred to in the Vya Bhā (1, p 132) along with Mādhara and Dandanīti of Koḍinna, which were important works on politics The Gommatasāra Jīvakāṇḍa (303, p 117) refers to Ābhiya and Āsurukkha, also cf Mūlācāra (5 60 f), also Supra, p 64

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²⁰ Koḍillaya is also referred to as Cāṇakkakoḍilla (Sūya cū p. 208) The Sūyagaḍa (9 17) mentions Athāvaya which according to the commentator is the Arthasāstra by Cāṇakya and its study is prohibited to a Jain monk A Prākṛt verse from the Attha-sattha is quoted in the Vasudevahiṇḍi (p 45) and the Ogha Niryukti (p 152), which throws light on the existence of Arthasāstra in Prakrt. Kotalla is also mentioned in the Cūlavamsa (LXIV 3)

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²¹ Ghotakamukha is mentioned as a politician in the Arthasāstra (p. 282); also Kāmasūtra (p 188), also see Majjhima II, pp. 157 ff

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²² It is same as Sāmkhyakārikā of Isvarakṛṣṇa (H R. Kapadia, The Canonical Literature of the Jainas, p. 163).

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²³ Lokāyatam is also mentioned in the Dīgha. (I, p. 11).

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²⁴ Sū. 42.

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Then the Thāṇāṅga refers to the following evil scriptures (pāpa śruta) :— I science of portents indicating shower of blood or any unusual phenomemon boding calamity in the country (uppāya), 2 science of omens (nimitta), 3 science of spells and magic (manta), 4 low type of charm which causes Cāṇḍālis to utter oracles (ākkhāya), 5 science of medicine (tegicchya), 6 seventy two arts (kalā), 7 science of architecture (āvarana), 8 popular works such as Bhārata, Kāvya, Nāṭaka, etc (annāna), and 9 false scripture such as the teachings of Buddha etc. (micchāpavayaṇa).²⁵

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²⁵ 9 678, also see Sūya II 2 30; cf Sammohavinodanī (p. 490) where Bhāratayuddha and Sītāharaṇādī are spoken as pāpakam sutam

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