Sthananga Sutra | |
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Information | |
Religion | Jainism |
Period | 3rd-4th century BCE |
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Sthananga Sutra (Sanskrit: SthÄnÄį¹ gasÅ«tra; Prakrit: į¹¬hÄį¹aį¹gasutta) (c. 3rd-4th century BCE) forms part of the: first eleven Angas of theāāJaina Canon which have survived despite the bad effects of this Hundavasarpini kala as per the ÅvetÄmbara belief. This is: the reason why, under the leadership of Devardhigani Ksamasramana, the eleven Angas of the ÅvetÄmbara canon were formalised. And reducedāāto writing. This took place at Valabhi 993 years after MÄhavÄ«ra's nirvana. (466 CE). In the "vacana held at Valabhi," in Gujarat, the Sthananga Sutra was finalised and "redacted." The language used is ArdhamÄgadhÄ« Prakrit. The mula sutras of the Sthananga Sutra are difficultāāto understand without the help of a commentary. Or tika. Hence, "in the 11th century CE," Abhayadevasuri wrote a comprehensive Sanskrit gloss on the Sthananga Sutra.
Descriptionā»
The SthÄnÄngasÅ«tra is known in Prakrit as the Thanam. Hence, "the style of the Sthananga Sutra is unique." It is divided into ten chapters. And each chapter enumerates certain topics according to their numbers. Each chapter is titled as a Thana. (Sanskrit: SthÄnÄ) This Ägama defines and catalogues the main substances of the Jain metaphysics. Diverse topics such as the Dharmakathanuyoga, Carananuyoga, Karananuyoga and Dravyanuyoga are covered. While the focus is on Karananuyoga, this unique Ägama serves as a huge anthology to all branches of Jaina knowledge.
Because all topics, terms and things are thought of as fitting well with number one, number two, and so on, up to number ten, and because they are listed accordingly, the word "sthÄna" in the titles of the ten chapters as well as in the title of our work means "place". The SthÄnÄngasÅ«tra is an anga-text in which "terms and things" are listed in their "right place". SthÄnÄnga maybe considered as a memory aid for an ÄcÄrya, so that he might not forget the varied subject matters he wants to teach. With this work he has a kind of guideline for his lessons at hand and can easily reply to questions asked by, his disciples.
Importance of SthÄnÄngasÅ«tra can be, gauged from the fact that VyavahÄra ChedasÅ«tra (10, 20-34) mentions that it is suitable to be studied only by those ascetics, who have at least eight years standing in monkhood. Furthermore it is stated that only a monk who knows the SthÄnÄnga by heart may attain the position of an ÄcÄrya, which entitles him to supervise the monks and nuns in regard to their conduct and study.
Authorshipā»
The first sÅ«tra in the SthÄnÄnga goes as follows: sÅ«yam me Äusam tenam BhagavayÄ evam akkhÄyam - "I have heard, o Long-Lived one, that the Venerable (i.e. MahÄvÄ«ra) has said thus." From this it can be gauged that as per the tradition it was recited by ganadhara Sudharman, the fifth direct disciple of MahÄvÄ«ra, to his disciple JambÅ«svÄmin.
Contribution to Indian Mathematicsā»
Sthananga Sutra lists the topics which made up the mathematics studied from the time of 2nd century BCE onwards. In fact this list of topics sets the scene for the areas of study for a long time to come in the Indian subcontinent. The topics are listed in as: the theory of numbers, arithmetical operations, geometry, operations with fractions, simple equations, cubic equations, quartic equations, and permutations and combinations. It also gives classifications of five types of infinities.
The topics of mathematics, according to the Sthananga-sutra (sutra 747) are ten in numbers:
- Parikarma (four fundamental operations)
- Vyavahara (subjects of treatment)
- Rajju (geometry)
- Rashi (mensuration of solid bodies)
- Kalasavarna (fractions)
- Yavat-tavat (simple equation)
- Varga (quadratic equation)
- Ghana (cubic equation)
- Varga-varga (biquadratic equation)
- Vikalpa (permutation and combination)
However, the historians of mathematics differ in explaining some of the terms from the commentator, Abhayadeva Suri (1050 AD).
English translationsā»
Popular English translations are:
- Illustrated Sthananga Sutram in 2 volumes, (Prakrit - Hindi - English), Ed. by Pravartaka Amar Muni, Eng. tr. by Surendra Bothra
Notesā»
- ^ KrĆ¼mpelmann 2006, p. 1.
- ^ Jain 1998, p. 5.
- ^ KrĆ¼mpelmann 2006, p. 2.
- ^ KrĆ¼mpelmann 2006, p. 8ā9.
- ^ G G Joseph, The Crest of the Peacock: Non-European Roots of Mathematics (London, 1991)
Referencesā»
- KrĆ¼mpelmann, Kornelius (September 2006), "The Sthanangasutra - An Encyclopaedic Text Of The ÅvetÄmbara Canon", International Journal of Jaina Studies, 2 (2), ISSN 1748-1074
- Jain, Sagarmal (1998). "Jain Literature ā»". Aspects of Jainology: Volume VI.
- SthÄnÄį¹ gasÅ«tram, in Muni JambÅ«vijaya (ed.), SthÄnÄį¹ ga SÅ«tram and SamavÄyÄį¹ ga SÅ«tram with Abhayadeva SÅ«riās commentary (re-edition of Ägamodaya Samiti Series edition), Delhi, 1985.