A Concise History of Science in India c7.s3.5

c7.s3.5

As to early Jaina mathematical sources, we have already referred to the *Sūryaprajñapti* and the *Candraprajñapti* which, although astronomical works, contain useful information about mathematics as well. Like the *Sthānāṅga-sūtra*, we have stray references of mathematical and astronomical importance in canonical works like the *Bhagavatī-sūtra* (first century B.C.), the *Uttarādhyāyana-sūtra* (first century A.D.) and the *Anuyogadvāra-sūtra* (first century A.D.). As to persons by name, mention should be made of Bhadrabāhu (d. 298 B.C.), who had the unusual gift of reproducing from memory the entire canonical literature of the Jainas and was befittingly called a *śrutakevalin*. He wrote a commentary on the *Sūryaprajñapti*, as we know from Malayagiri and possibly a compendious *Saṁhitā* known after his name. Bühler noticed a work entitled *Bhadrabāhavī Saṁhitā*, but it has not been established that it was the work of Bhadrabāhu we are considering. Umāsvāti (c. first century A.D.), the reputed Jaina metaphysician and author of *Tattvārthādhigama-sūtra-bhāṣya* was, of course, no mathematician but referred to mathematical formulae in his metaphors, which indicate that such mathematical topics must have been widely current at least among the intelligentsia of his time. Both Bhadrabāhu and Umāsvāti hailed from Kusumapura near Patna. Umāsvāti was also the author of a *Kṣetrasamāsa* (collection of places) or *Jambūdvīpasamāsa*. This title belongs generally to a class of works popular among the Jainas, dealing with geography and mensuration. The cosmographico-geographical details, the elaborate specification of the dimensions of the different *dvīpas* and fantastic cosmological theories given in this class of works conceal at the same time important mathematical information for this early formative period. Finally, we have the name of Siddhasena, the Jaina in Varāhamihira's references, from which commentator Bhaṭṭotpala quoted a number of passages which show Siddhasena's interests in astronomy and mathematics.