GENERAL EDITORIAL
The Bhartiya Jnanpith is a preeminent academic institute of our country. It has achieved, during the last of century, quite Worthy results in the form of learned publications in Sanskrit, pali, Prakrit Apabhramsa, Tamil and kannadai. Most of them are equipped with critical Introductions embodying original researches which shed abundant light on many a neglected branch of Indian literature. The number of these publications is nearly one hundred and fifty, included in the Murtidevi and Manikandra Granthamalas. Most of these works are brought to light for the first time, and thus some of them are rescued from oblivion. It has also published in its Lokodayan and Rastrabharati Granthmalas nearly 350 titles in Hindi comprising almost all the literary forms like novels, poems, short stories, essays, travels, biographies, researches and critical estimates etc. Through these literary pursuits the Janapith aims at giving impetus to creative writings in modern Indian languages. By their quality as well as by their appearance the Janapith publications have own approbation and appreciation everywhere.
The Jnanpith gives, every year, an award to the outstanding literary work (now the whole contribution) in the various recognised languages of India which is chosen to be the best literary writing of the specific period, and its author gets a prize of one lakh (now five lakh - Publisher) of rupees at a festive function.
The Jnanpith, which is so particular about the publication of ancient Indian literature and also in encouraging the progress of modern Indian literature, cannot but take in to account the forthcoming 2500th Nirvana Mahotsave of Bhagavan Mahavira, one of the greatest sons of India and one of the standing humanists the civilized world has ever produced. Naturally the Jnanpith, among its various plans to celebrate the occasion, has under taken the publication of important Jaina works; and this Pancastikaya, edited and translated by the late Prof. A. Chakravarti is one of them.
The General Editors record their sense of gratitude to Shirman Shau
Shanti Prasada and his enlightened wife Smt. Rama Jain for the patronage they have extended to the publication of these works which belong to the neglected branches of Indological learning. It is through their patronage That many unpublished works have come to light, a number of important texts, accompanied by Learned Introductions containing valuable research, have been put in the hands of scholars.
Thanks are due to Shri L.C. Jain who is enthusiastically implementing the publication programme of the Jnanpith.
A.N. Upadhye
Kailash Chandra Shastri
Vira Nirvana Day
13th Nov.1974
PREFACE
The Pancastikaya, as it is specified by its brief title, is one of the important works of Kundakundacarya who occupies unique position, next only to Mahavira and his Ganadhara in the South Indian Jaina tradition. It deals with Jaina Methaphysics or Ontology and Ethics, i.,e., exposition of the path leading to liberation. The text is in prakrit Gathas, and it mentions its title in two places: Pamcatthiya-samagaha (Pancastika-sangraha) in Gatha No.103,and elsewhere , in No.173 suttam (sutram or suktam) is tacked on to it: and in both the places it is qualified by pavayanasaram (pravacanasaram). Through the brief title is more popular, some have used the title in sanskrit like Panacastiyakaya-sara—samayasara — prabhrta and —sangraha. In this edition they are allowed to remain as they are, inherited from earlier sources.
Plenty of Mss. Of the Pancastikaya are known from public libraries (Jinaratnakosa, Poona, 1994, p. 231). A number of commentaries in Sanskrit by Amrtacandra, Bramadeva, Devajitta, Jayasena, Jnanacandra, Mallisenai and Prabhancandrai are known. Those of Amrtacandra and Jayasena are already printed and well-known. There is a commentary of Balacandra in Old-Kannada; but, so far it is not published. Some expositions of this work in Hindi have been composed by Hemarajai (Samvat 1700) Rajamallai (Sam. 1716), Hiracanada (Sam. 1718) and Vidhicandai (Sam. 1891).
The importance of this work has been all along recognised, and we have a number of editions in print of which the significant ones may be noted here.
(1) The text in Prakrit, along with short introductory remarks in Sanskrit, taken from Amrtacandra’s commentary, was published in Romen script in Gironale della Societa Asiatica Italiana, frieze, 1901, by P.E. Pavolini under the title, II Comendio devi Cinque Element (Pamcatthiya –samgahya- suttam). There is short informative Introduction by the Editor in Italian. He significantly remarks (of course, that was in 1901) that the texts of the Digambaras are scarcely taken note of and no text entirely edited .
(2) It was published by Pannalal Bakaliwali along with Amrtacandra’s Sanskrit Commentary and Hemaraja’s Vacanika (put into modern Hindi ) in the Raychanndra Jaina Sastramala, Bombay, 1904.
(3) A second edition of the above by Pt. Manoharalal was published with the addition of Jayasena’s Sanskrit commentary in the same Granthmala, Bombay, 1914.
As far as I can judge these last two editions have been the basis, so
far as the text and commentaries are concerned, of a number of editions published here and there .
(4) The late Br. Shital Prasad brought out an edition of it giving the text, Sanskrit chaya and Hindi of Jayasena’s Sanskrit commentary, Surat, 1926-27.
(5) Then there is quite a good edition Pancastikaya-samrgaha of the text, Amrtancandra’s Sanskrit commentary and Hindi translation by Shri. Maganalal Jain and published (2nd ed.) from Songed (Saurashtra), 1964.
Excepting Pavolint none of the Editors has devoted any attention to the critical editing of the Prakrit text. Jayadsena is one of the Sanskrit commentators who has noted some various reading and also given some additional gatha not found in Amratacandra’s text. All the Editors are mostly interested in exposition of the contents.
Lately, the texts of Sri Kundakunda’s works have been inscribed in
marble in the Paramagama Mandira at Songad (Saurashtra) under the enlightening presence of Sri Kanji Swami Maharaj whose Devotion to Sri Kundakunda’s words is unique and inspiring. The present writer was requested to Edit the Prakrit Texts of Kundakunda’s work for being inscribed there, and he was done it in his humble way using a few Mss. that were supplied to him. It is high time that the authorities in Songad collect in this Paramgama Mandira all the known Mss. of Kundakunda’s works on original, in photographs, films or Photostat copies (as they might be a available) so that, with the help of this material, some day a really critical text of all works of kundakunda can be presented for future studies
Nothing is more important and sacred than well preserving the words of this great Teacher whose name is remembered with so much of reverence in the annals of Jaina literature.
The Pancastikaya (sara) with the philosophical and historical Introductions, translation, notes and an original commentary in English by Prof. A. Chakravarti Nayaner was published by Kumar Devendra Prasad, The Central Jaina Publishing House, Arrah, as Vol. III, of the Sacred Books of the Jaines, in 1920. The learned Introductions of Prof. Chakarvarti have been a source and guide to eminent authors on Indian philosophy in giving an authoritative exposition of Jaina principles. The copies of this book are no more available; and many scholars felt that a new edition of Prof. Chakarvarti’s Pancastikaya sara was an urgent desideratum.
To mark the great historical event of the 2500th Nirvana Mahotsava of
Bhagavan Mahavira, the Autorities of the Bharatiya Jnanpith decided to bring out a new addition of the late Prof. Chakarvarti Pancastikaya-sara in an improved from. And I look upon it a privilege that I was entrusted with this Work. I have done it as a duty which I owe to the late Prof. Chakarvarti in whom I had an elderly colleague and to the Bharatiya Jnanpith which has done so much for the progress of Jainological studies.
In this edition, the contents of Prof. Chakrvarti’s exposition have
been kept in tact. But in the English matter diacritical marks added for Sanskrit terms so that they could be correctly pronounced. Some typographical consistency is also introduced. The Prakrit text is better presented, taking into account the text edited by Pavolini ant that printed in the Rayachandra Jaina Sastramala. The Sanskrit chaya is brought immediately below the text form the foot notes, and it has been added wherever it was not given in the earlier edition. While reading Prof. Chakrvarti learned exposition of a number of topics, a specialist often feels like consulting the Sanskirt commentary of Amratacandra used by the Professor. That is how and why the Prakirt text as well as Sanskirt commentary of Amrtacandra given immediately below it are added afresh in the present edition at the end . It is felt that the utility and the expository value of this edition is increased thereby. This matter is adopted from the Songadedition, noted above. The Prakrit text is presented with minor changes in spelling etc. As contrasted with this text, important various readings from Pavilion's are noted in footnotes against the siglum P. Initial n or n, ya or a, n, for anusvara and the distinction between anusvara and anunsika or absence Of either, are all ignored while recording the various reading. In presenting the chaya and the text of the Sanskirt commentary minor orthographically changes are made with a view to maintaining a standard format according to the conventions of the Jnapith, are noted in the Interactions to Editors. Some attempt is made to see that maximum consistency is maintained in the Prakirt text which appears in two places in this edition. Of course Prof. Chakravarti has included the extragathas found in the commentary of Jayasena. As far as I see, misprints and minor changes apart, the Prakrit text in both the places goes back to the addition of the Pancastikaya in the Raychandra Jaina Sastramala. The need of going back to some genuine Mss. and building up a critical text of the Prakrit gathas and of the commentary still remains.
I record my sincere gratitude to Smt. Rama Jain, the President of the
Jnanpith, and to Shri Sahu Shanti Prasad, the founder Patron, for their unique generosity in publishing these works which are a Significant contribution to the cultural heritage of our land .
I offer my sincere thanks to Shri L.C. Jain but for whose kindly
pressure. I would not have been able to edit the present work in this form. Let me also mention that the quiet and congenial atmosphere of the Campus of the University of Mysore, Manasa Gangotri, has enabled me to
complete this work much earlier than I had planned.
— A. N. Upadhye
Manasa Gangotri
Mysore : July 24, 1974.
A BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE ON
PROF. A. CHAKRAVARTI
Prof . A Chakravarti Nayanar (1880-1960) passed his M.A. with distinction, in 1905, from the Christian College, Madras, and took his L.T. in 1909 from the Teacher Collage, Madras. For a year or two he worked as a teacher in the Wesley Girl’s School and as a clerk in the Accountant General’s office Madras In 1906, he was appointed as Assistant Professor of Philosophy inn the Presidency Collage, Madras and thereafter he worked as such (having become a professor in 1917) in the Government Collage at Rajahmundry, Madras and Kumbkonm (of then Madras Presidency)from where he retired as principal in 1938. He was conferred upon the title of Rai Bahadur in the same year.
Prof. Chakravarti was well versed in the various schools of western philosophy. He brought his wide learning and deep scholarship to bear upon his study of Jaina philosophy. His introduction to the Pancastikaya(Arrah, 1920) is a valuable exposition of Jaina metaphysics and the path of moksa. In 1937 he delivered Principal Miller Lectures which published under the title ‘Humanism and Indian Thought’ He was a
stalwart Jaina sravaka of his times in Tamil Nadu. He was specially interested in Jaina Tamil literature on which he had written a monograph in English ( Arrah, 1941). He has edited a number of Tamil works by Jaina authors with their commentaries and, in some cases, with his learned exposition in English. For instance, Neelakesi, the text and the commentary of Samaya Divakara Muni, along with his elaborate Introduction in English (Madras 1936); Tirukkural by thevar, along with the Tamil commentary by Kaviraja Pandithar (Bharatiya Jnanpith Tamil Series, No. 1 with an English Introduction) and Tirukkural, with English translation and commentary and an exhaustive Introduction (Madras, 1949). He has also edited the Meru-mandara-puranam In Tamil. His exposition (described by M.S.H. Thompson, in the J.R.A. Society, London, 1925 as ‘an indispensable aid to the study of tirukkuram’) of the Tirukkuram has been hailed both in India and outside as a learned and liberal exposition of the Kural, the Tamil Bible. His ‘Religaon of Ahimsa’ is published by Shri Ratanchand Hirachand, Bombay (1975) It is a learned exposition in English of some aspects of Jainism.
Prof. Chakravarti, as an authority on his subject, contributed a number of essays And articles on Janisim, ahimsa and contemporary thought to various publication such As Cultural Heritage of India Philosophy of the East and West Jaina Gazette, Aryan path Tamil Academy. He wrote both in English and Tamil. Some of his papers are
Reprinted in the Yesterday and Today, Madras, 1946. He was a member of a number of Associations and Institutions in Madras.