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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c5.s13.t1: (1) Nijjutti

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c5.s13.t1

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(1) Nijjutti

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The oldest explanatory literature on the sacred texts is represented by *Nijjuttis* which consists of a very concise explanation in verses. These *Nijjuttis* contain a number of historical or legendary tales elucidating Jain doctrines and moral or disciplinary rules given in the Jain Canons. The *Nijjuttis* were probably memorial verses which were learnt by heart by the teachers who used them in their oral interpretation of the Canons.⁴⁰ It is suggested that since the *Nijjuttis* are aboslutely unintelligible without the support of the commentary, there must have been an extensive commentary where all tales and legends referred to in *Nijjuttis* must have been told at length.⁴¹ But unfortunately we have no means of ascertaining the existence and nature of these hypothetical commentaries and how far they were epitomised in the present *Niryuktis*.⁴² The *Nijjutis* served as the foundation for several other later commentaries. The following are the ten *Nijjutis*: (1) *Āyārānga*, (2) *Sūyagaḍanga*, (3) *Sūriyapannatti*, (4) *Uttarajjhayana*, (5) *Āvassaya*, (6) *Dasaveyāliya*, (7) *Dasāsuyakkhandha*, (8) *Kappa*, (9) *Vavahāra* and (10) *Isibhāsiya*. The tradition is unanimous in attributing the authorship of the *Nijjutis* to Bhadrabāhu, who seems to be different from Bhadrabāhu, the last *Śrutakevalin*, who died 170 years after Mahāvīra's death (*i.e.*, 297 B.C.), and who was the author of the *Cheda Sūtras*.

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⁴⁰ Winternitz, *op. cit.*, P. 483, cf. *Nirutti* in Pali, a work on exegesis, ascribed to Mahā Kaccāyana, ard divided into two parts : *Cūla nirutti* and *Mahā nirutti*, Malalasekara, *Dictionary of Pali Proper Names*, Vol. II, p. 79.

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⁴¹ Jarl Charpentier, *op. cit.*, p. 50 f.

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⁴² Prof A M Ghatage's article "The Dasavaikālika Niryukti," p 629, I H Q , Vol , XI 1935

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When we study the contents of the *Nijjutis* we notice that they refer to the later traditions. For instance, the *Uttarādhyayana Niryukti*⁴³ refers to the story of the Bhadrabāhu's four disciples, and Śakaṭāla and Sthūlabhadra, and the *Āvasyaka Niryukti*⁴⁴ to Bhadragupta, Ārya Simhagiri, Vajraswāmin, Tosaliputrācārya, Ārya Rakṣita, Phalgurakṣita and others, who were the successors of Bhadrabāhu. We also find a reference here to the origin of the Digambaras and the seven schisms in the Jain Church which undoubtedly represents the tradition much later than Bhadrabāhu, the author of the *Cheda Sūtras*.⁴⁵

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⁴³ 91, 100.

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⁴⁴ 764-776, also cf Uttarā. Nir. 96f

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⁴⁵ See Muni Punya Vijaya's learned article in the *Mahāvīra Jain Vidyālaya Rajata Mahotsava Smāraka Grantha*, 1915-40; Jarl Charpentier's *Introduction* to the *Uttarādhyayana Sūtra*, p 49 f. Bhadrabāhu, the author of the *Nijjutis* is placed in the fourth century A D (See Prof. Ghatage, *op cit*) However, according to Leumann, the *Nijjutis* were compiled in about 80 A D. (Schubring, *op. cit.*, p 60)

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