History of Jaina Saṃskṛta Literature
Adapted from "Jaina Saṃskṛta Sāhitya no Itihāsa by Hiralal Rasikdas Kapadia" (Gujarati)
Call it vyākaraṇa or śabdaśāstra, śabdāgama or śabdānuśāsana – all are the same. It is called as ‘grammar’ in English. ‘Kalikālasarvajña’ Hemacandrasūri, in his Abhidhānacintāmaṇi (Kāṇḍa 2, Verse No. 164-65), has enumerated following limbs of Vedas:
Of the aforementioned aṅgas, all the aṅgas except second [kalpa] and fifth [jyotiṣa], are related to bhāṣāśāstra {lit. scripture of language}. Through this, the consultation of vyākaraṇa from very earlier period. Ṛgveda mentions etymology of some words. Of the works known as Brāhmaṇas, texts like Gopatha (1-24), etc., mention about some technical terms regarding grammar like liṅga, vacana, vibhakti, ākhyāta, kurvanta (kṛdanta), etc. Several prātiśākhyas provide us with information regarding grammar. The Yāska’s Nirukta belonging to 600 B. C. E. throws ample light on development of grammar during those times. Words like nāma, sarvanāma, ākhyāta, upasarga, nipāta, etc., are noticed in that as well. Through the division of branches like ‘prācya’ & ‘udīcya’ along with stating about twenty names of ācāryas, it can be inferred that field of grammar met unprecedented growth by that time. Of Śākaṭāyana, Gārgya, and Śākalya are the most known ones. Śākaṭāyana believes in vyutpatti {lit. derivation} of each word from dhatu {lit. verbal root} only. Thus, in our nation, this field has been has been prospering since 4000 years and various grammars have been composed.
Indra (Aindra) Grammar (composition – 1000 c. B. C. E.)
Patañjali in his Mahābhāṣya (Āhnika 1, pg. 19, Chaukambha Series) on Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī (1.1.1) has mentioned that Bṛhaspati uttered Śabdapārāyaṇa for one thousand divine years by mentioning each word. Taittirīya Saṃhitā (6-4-7) mentions the following:
“वाग् वै पराच्यव्याकृताऽवदत्। ते देवा इन्द्रमब्रुवन् –
इमां नो वाचं व्याकुर्विति।... तामिन्द्रो मध्यतोऽवक्रम्य व्याकरोत्॥”
Sāyaṇācārya has commented over this. By keeping that in mind, it can be inferred that during early times, language spoken was underdevelopment i.e. devoid of grammatical theories of prakṛti, pratyaya, etc., in a non-fragmentary form. The Devas asked (their king) Indra to develop it i.e. make it developed. Thus, Indra broke the speech and developed it. Thus Indra composed a grammar which is known as Indra-vyākaraṇa, Aindra-vyārakaraṇa or Aindra-tantra today. Just like Brahmā is regarded as the first expounder of grammar, Indra is regarded as the first developer of grammar. Yudhiṣṭhira Mīmāṃsaka in his work ‘Saṃskṛta Vyākaraṇa Śāstra kā Itihāsa’ has introduced this Indra. In this regard, he has mentioned that Indra flourished eight thousand five hundred years ago but differences are seen in the dating.
According to Kathāsaritsāgara, the Indra-vyākaraṇa has been lost for very long. Jaina Śākaṭāyana grammar (1-2-37) mentions about the belief of Indra. Digambara Somadeva’s Yaśastilakacampū (Āśvāsa 1, pg. 90) has stated Indra-vyākaraṇa. Bhaṭṭāraka Hariścandra in his commentary over Carak has mentioned as follows:
शास्त्रेष्वपि ‘अथ वर्णसमूहः’ इति ऐन्द्रव्याकरणस्य।
Durgācārya, in his commentary over Nirukta (pg. 10), has drawn out following sūtra from Indra-vyākaraṇa –
“नैकं पदं जातम्, यथा ‘अर्थः पदम्’ इत्यैन्द्राणाम्।”
For mentions of Aindra grammar in Chinese, Tibetan, and Indian literature, see the compilation of Dr. A. C. Burnell in his work:- “On the Aindra School of Sanskrit Grammarians”
Genesis of Aindra-vyākaraṇa (590 c. B. C. E.) – The Genesis of Aindra grammar is found in some Śvetāmbara texts. In terms of the oldest references, Bhadrabāhusvāmī’s niryukti (pg. 182a) on Āvassaya {Saṃsk. Āvaśyakasūtra} enjoys its place in forefront. The Jaina tradition believes that this Bhadrabāhu was Caturdaśapūrvadhara {lit. knower of 14 pūrva texts} i.e. Śrutakevalī and he died in Vīra Saṃvata 170. Some modern scholars opine differently in this regard. They assert that this as well other niryuktis were authored by another Bhadrabāhu who flourished around 5th century C. E. With regard to Āvaśyakaniryukti, some scholars even opine that some part of it has been composed by Śrutakevalī Bhadrabāhu. Whatever the case might be, but this niryukti text serves as the oldest evidence regarding the mention of Indra-vyākaraṇa which I shall present here:
“सक्को य तस्समक्खं भगवंतं आसने निवेसित्ता। सद्दस्स लक्खणं पुच्छे वागरणं अवयवा इंदं॥”
It means that Śakra, made Bhagavān (Mahāvīrasvāmī) sit on sitting in from him (i.e. lekhācārya) and asked the lakṣaṇa {lit. characteristic} of śabda {lit. word}. (Bhagavān) (said i.e. cleared) Vyākaraṇa. (Some) parts (were taken by Lekhācārya). (Based on this) Indra (Aindra) (grammar was composed).
The Āvaśyakacūrṇi (Part 1, pp. 248) attributed to Jinadāsagaṇi and Haribhadrasūri’s ṭīka (commentary) are evidences that follow. The cūrṇi states that “Bhagavān (Mahāvīrasvāmī), when was little more than eight years of age, bathed and wore garments. His parents adorned him with various ornaments and with a great pomp, took him to Lekhācārya by sitting on an elephant. The Lekhācārya’s āsana {i.e. sitting} was spread wide. (Having known lord as disciple though possessing three knowledges,) Śakra Indra’s throne trembled. He quickly reached near Lekhācārya. He made lord sit on the already spread āsana. The Lekhācārya was there only. But Śakra, with joined hands asked (topics related to Introduction to vyākaraṇa, pada, padārtha, krama, guru-lāghava, samāsa, vistāra, saṃkṣepa, viṣaya, vibhāga, ākṣepa, and parihāra in form of definitions) paryāyas of a, etc., bhaṅga, gama, etc. Thereafter, lord did vyākaraṇa (i.e. clarified it) in various ways. Lekhācārya heard this. Based on these, the Lekhācārya understood some pada {lit. forms} and artha {i.e. sense/meaning}. (And based on this understanding,) Aindra grammar came into existence.”
Yākinī Mahattara’s dharmaputra Haribhadrasūri, in his ṭīkā on Āvaśyaka (Part 1, pp. 182a) states that “Śakra made lord seat in front of Lekhācārya and enquired the lakṣaṇa {i.e. characteristic} of word. Bhagavān uttered its vyākaraṇa (i.e. clarified it). That through which worldly and concurrent can be explained is vyākaraṇa – śabdaśāstra {the scripture of words}.” Some of these elements were understood by Upādhyāya (Lekhācārya). Aindra grammar was composed upon that. Thus, he has also stated about the composition as above.
Ka. Sa. Hemacandrasūri too in his Yogaśāstra (Pra. 1, auto-commentary on Verse 56-58, pp. 1a) asserts the origin of Aindra-vyākaraṇa in the same way.
This Aindra-vyākaraṇa is a combination of questions of Śakra, answers by Mahāvīrasvāmī and the compilation of Lekhācārya. This text was composed in 590 B. C. E.
The tradition asserts that this Aindra-vyākaraṇa, with time, came to be known as Jainendra-vyākaraṇa. For instance, Vinayavijaya, in his ṭīkā ‘subodhikā’ on Pajjosavaṇākappa {Saṃsk. Paryūṣaṇākalpa} composed in V. S. 1696 has regarded this text as Jainendra-vyākaraṇa.
There is no evidence regarding the language in which it was composed or was pertaining to which language. As it was composed in Magadha, it can be inferred that it would pertain to the lingua franca of that region i.e. Māgadhī or it might be related to Saṃskṛta and as it Lekhācārya would have been a Brāhmaṇa, it would have been authored in Saṃskṛta. This vyākaraṇa has been lost for about 15 centuries and enough has been written about this now.
Saddapāhuḍa (Śabdaprābhṛta) (composition 557 B. C. E.)