With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts:
- Nettipakarana
- Parishishtaparvan
- Avadanashataka
- Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana
Which of the above are Jaina texts?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – Prelims 2022]
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
- The Nettipakaraṇa is sometimes included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of Theravada Buddhism’s Pali Canon, making option 1 incorrect.
- The Nettipakaraṇa is a mythological Buddhist scripture that focuses on Buddhist Hermeneutics and systematizing the teachings of the Buddha.
- Hemachandra wrote the Parishishtaparvan, which describes Chandragupta’s connections with Jainism, validating option 2 as correct.
- According to the Parishishtaparvan, Jayasimha, the king, was impressed by an impromptu verse uttered by Hemachandra while passing through the streets of his capital.
- Hemachandra, an Indian Jain scholar, was known for his expertise in various subjects such as grammar, philosophy, prosody, mathematics, and contemporary history. He was hailed as the kalikalasarvajna, “the knower of all knowledge in his times.”
- The Avadanashataka, an anthology in Sanskrit, contains a collection of Buddhist narratives compiled between the second and fifth centuries CE. Therefore, option 3 is incorrect.
- Trishashthilkshana Mahapurana, a significant Jain text, was primarily composed by Acharya Jinasena during the rule of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, confirming option 4 as correct.
Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.
