અનુયોગદ્વાર સૂત્રના રચનાકાળ વિશે કાંઈક (Anuyogasar Sutra na Rachnakal vishe Kaik)
By Sadhvishri Mrigavatishriji M.
Summary
This article examines the composition period of the Anuyogasar (Anuyogadvara) Sutra, an important Jain canonical text. It explains that the Anuyogasar forms part of the Svetambara scriptures and presents four methods of exposition (anuyogas) that instruct monks and lay followers in scriptural interpretation: stories illustrating conduct, parables and analogies, logical proofs and accounts of liberated souls. The author situates the text within the corpus of Jain literature, arguing that it evolved from early narrative lists into a systematic treatise. Historical references to Acharyas like Bhadrabahu, Padaliputra and Devavijaya are marshalled to show how the sutra incorporates later doctrinal developments such as the doctrine of sevenfold predication and the enumeration of five types of knowledge. Linguistic analysis and comparison with other sutras reveal that the Anuyogasar reflects a mature stage of philosophical discourse. The essay examines commentaries by Siddhasena and Malayagiri to trace evolving interpretations of key passages and uses them to infer a relative chronology. By collating evidence from language, doctrine and secondary literature, the author proposes that the core of the Anuyogasar may date to the fourth or fifth century CE, with subsequent expansions continuing into the medieval period. The study highlights that the text we possess today is a composite work shaped by centuries of scholastic activity and suggests that a critical edition would aid in dating its layers more precisely.
Conclusion
The study portrays the Anuyogasar as a layered compilation that synthesises narratives, parables, doctrine and logic. By analysing terminology, doctrine and later commentaries, the author places its earliest strata in the early common era and recognises subsequent additions through the medieval period. The article argues that further research into manuscript traditions and critical editing is necessary to establish a definitive chronology. It concludes that the Anuyogasar’s composite nature reflects the dynamic development of Jain thought and underscores the importance of preserving and critically studying canonical texts.