The literature of the Jain religion is referred to as Jain literature. It is a huge and old literary heritage that was passed down orally. The canonical Jain Agamas, which are written in Ardhamagadhi, a Prakrit (Middle-Indo Aryan) language, include the earliest extant material. Later Jain monks wrote a number of comments on these canonical texts. Other languages, such as Sanskrit and Maharashtri Prakrit, were used in later works. This article will explain to you the Jain Literature which will be helpful in Ancient History preparation for the UPSC Civil service exam.

Jain Literature

• The Jain tradition is everlasting, according to the Jain tradition, and the teachings of the first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha, date back millions of years.
• The tirthankaras preached in divine preaching halls known as samavasarana, which were heard by gods, ascetics, and laypeople, according to the text.
• The Jain literature is thought to have begun during the reign of the First Tirthankara, known as "Adinatha."
• His teachings vanished, and most of them were lost until the Tirthankaras brought them back to life.
• The Svetambaras and the Digambaras varied in their interpretation and teaching, hence the Jaina literature was further split into two factions.
• There are two primary categories of Jain literature:
  • Agam Literature
  • Non-Agam Literature
• Agam or Canonical Literature (Agam Sutras): Many words make up Agam literature, which are the sacred scriptures of the Jain religion. They are written in the Prakrit language Ardha-magadhi.
• Non-Agam Literature (Non-Agam): Commentary and explanations of Agam literature, as well as separate works gathered by ascetics and intellectuals, make up non-agam literature.
• They are written in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsa, Old Marathi, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannad, Tamil, German, and English, among other languages.

Jain Literature - Early Developments

• Originally, the canonical scriptures were passed down through an oral tradition and consisted of collections of teachings from historical Jain leaders such as Mahavira.
• The original sacred texts, which were split into twelve Angas or sections, are supposed to have been compiled by Gautama and other Gandhars (Mahavira's principal students).
• The twelfth Anga contains fourteen Purvas, they are referred to as the eleven Angas and the fourteen Purvas.
• According to legend, these writings included the most complete and precise explanation of every discipline of Jain learning.
• Acharya Bhadrabahu (367 - 298 BCE), the final knower of the full Jain agamas, was the head of the Jain community during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya.
• The agamas were collected on the basis of the ascetics' collective memory in the first council of Pataliputra under the stewardship of Sthulibhadra in around 463–367 BCE, according to Svetambara tradition.
• Eleven Angas were compiled at the council, while the remnants of fourteen purvas were put down in a 12th Anga.
• The Digambara order, however, rejected these scriptures, believing that Acharya Bhutabali (1st Century CE) was the last ascetic with partial knowledge of the ancient canon.
• The Purvas and the original Agamas of Gautama, according to Digambaras, were lost during the Mauryan period's crises and famine.

Jain Literature - Agamas

• They are sacred writings that are said to carry the teachings of the Jain tirthankaras.
• The Gandharas, Mahavira's immediate pupils, are said to have assembled them.
• These texts are extremely important to Svetambaras.
• The current Angas are said to have been re-compiled by a council of Svetambaras sect monks at Vallabhi (Gujarat) in the mid-5th century AD.
• The Digamabara sect believes that the original teachings were lost a long time ago and does not recognise the Agamas written in Valabhi as authoritative.
• Agamas is a collection comprising 46 writings.
• Twelve Angas, twelve Upangas, ten Prakirnakas, four Mulasutras, six Chedasutras, and two Chulika Sutras are included in the collection.
• They were written in Ardha-Magadhi, a Prakrit language.
• The Angas teach their adherents respect for all forms of life, strict vegetarianism, asceticism, compassion, and nonviolence.
• There are a total of 12 Angas.
  • Acharanga Sutra: Oldest agama.
  • Sutrakritanga: describes code of conduct for Jain monks,
  • metaphysics etc
  • Sthananga Sutra.
  • Samavayanga Sutra: discussion on essence of Jainism,
  • astronomy, mathematics, etc.
  • Vyakhya Prajnapti or Bhagavati Sūtra:
  • Jnat Dharma Katha.
  • Upasakadasa
  • Antardasha
  • Anuttaraupapatikadasah.
  • Prasnavyakaranani: Description of sins.
  • Vipakasruta: stories and illustrations.
  • Desativada: contem 14 Purvas.
• The Digambaras gave the Karmaprabhrita (discussion on Karma) or Shatkhandagama and the Kashayaprabhrita canonical status.
• The Acharanga Sutra is the first of the twelve) Anga Agamas. It was the first scripture studied by Jain monks.
• This agam addresses the conduct and behaviour of monastic life, as well as Lord Mahavir's penance. In terms of linguistics, this is the oldest agam. It was written in Ardha Magadhi Prakrit.
• Bhadrabahu wrote the Kalpa Sutra. It includes biographies of the Jain Tirthankaras, most notably Parshvanath and Mahavira, as well as the latter's Nirvana.
• Bhadrabahu was a tutor of Chandragupta Maurya, we may assume that it was written during the Mauryan period.

Jain Literature - Non‑agam Literature

• Non-agam literature includes commentaries and explanations of Agam literature, as well as separate works compiled by ascetics and intellectuals.
• Among other languages, they are written in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsa, Old Marathi, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannad, Tamil, German, and English.
• Bhadrabahu is credited with writing three of Jainism's sacred books, as well as the Niryuktis, which are brief commentaries on the original 12 sacred books.
• Some accounts indicate Bhadrabahu escaped to Nepal during the famine, while others believe he remained in Mysore.
• The Bhadrabahu Samhita was utilized to have a better understanding of Jaina jurisprudence.
• The purpose of this study is to bring to light the rights of women in the ancient Jain era and determine if they have been adequately represented in the public view or if arbitrary conclusions and uninformed misinterpretations have created a misleading picture.

Other Literary works

• Acharya Kundkund's Samayasara and Niyamasara explain Jain philosophy.
• Samanta Bhadra composed Ratna Karanda Sravakachara (Life of a Jaina Householder) and Aptamimansa in the second century AD.
• Silappadikaram by Ilango Adigal is a moralistic discourse that is regarded as one of Tamil literature's best epics written in the second century AD.
• It follows Kannagi, who exacts her vengeance on the Pandyan Dynasty's kingdom after losing her spouse due to a miscarriage of justice at the Pandyan court.
• Tirutakkatevar's Civaka Cintamani is another epic in Tamil literature.
• The ancient Tamil text Nalatiyar was written by Jain monks.
• Umasvati's Tattvartha-sutra (written in the first and second centuries AD) is a notable Sanskrit work on logic, epistemology, ethics, and astronomy.
• Jinasena was a Digamabara monk who flourished during the eighth and ninth centuries.
• His writings include the Maha Purana and the Harivamsa Purana.
• He was a pupil of another well-known Jain monk, Virasena.
• In the sixth century AD, a Jain author named Haribhadra Suri wrote in Sanskrit.
• Grammars in Sanskrit and Prakrit were written by a famous scholar named Hemachandra Suri (12th century).

Jain Literature - Significance

• Jain literature is claimed to have assisted the development of several Indian languages.
• Jaina literary works are accessible in Sanskrit, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Rajasthani, and Marwari in addition to Hindi.
• Kannada literature arose from Jaina literary writings.
• The Pandava Purana was written by Subhas Chandra.
• The Harivamsapurana was written by Jinasena.
• Ardhakathanaka by Banarsidas is the first autobiography in Braj Bhasha, which is considered the predecessor to Hindi.
• Apabhramsa was used to write several Jaina literary works, including Kahas and grammar.
• Apabhramsa is regarded to be the ancestor of several Gangetic plains Indian languages.
• Shauraseni contains some of the earliest Jaina literature, which helped to shape languages like Gujarati and Marwari.
• Between the 9th and 12th centuries, Jain monks wrote extensively in Kannada.
• The three jewels of Kannada literature are the well-known Jain author's Pampa, Ponna, and Ranna.
• After the 12th and 13th centuries, with the resurgence of Hinduism and the rise of Lingayats in Karnataka, Jainism's popularity faded and literary production declined.

Conclusion

According to the Jain tradition, the Jain tradition is eternal, and the teachings of the first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha, trace back millions of years. According to the text, the tirthankaras lectured in divine preaching halls known as samavasarana, which were heard by gods, ascetics, and laypeople. Jain literature refers to the literature of the Jain faith. It is a vast and ancient literary heritage that has been passed down orally.