Pujyapada
Encyclopedia
Ācārya Pūjyapāda who lived in the 5th century of the Common Era was a renowned grammarian and saint belonging to the Digambara
tradition of Jains
. Before initiation as a Jain ascetic, he was known as Devanandi. Since it was believed that he was worshiped by demigods on account of his vast scholarship and deep piety, he was named Pūjyapāda. He was heavily influenced by the writings of his predecessors like Ācārya Kundakunda
and Ācārya Samantabhadra
. He is rated as being the greatest of the early masters of Jain literature. He was prominent preceptor, with impeccable pontifical pedigree and spiritual lineage. "He was a great yogi, sublime mystic, brilliant poet, noted scholar, eminent author and master of several branches of learning. He wrote in Sanskrit, in prose as well as verse form. He was pontiff of the Nandi sangha, which was a part of the lineage of Ācārya Kundakunda. He was the tenth guru of the pontifical lineage of the Nandi Sangha. He was born in a brahmin family of Karnataka. His parents were Madhava Bhatta and Shridevi.
It is likely that he was the first Jain saint to write not only on religion but also on secular subjects, such as ayurveda
and Sanskrit grammar
. When one looks at the earlier writers in the Jain tradition, notably Kundakunda
and Samantabhadra
, one does not find any secular writings. They wrote beautifully on religion and the means to attain liberation. Whereas Ācārya Pūjyapāda, besides being a profound scholar of the Jain religion and a mendicant walking in the footsteps of the Jinas, was a grammarian, master of Sanskrit poetics and of ayurveda
. Ācārya Pūjyapāda was said to be the guru of King Durvinita of the Ganga dynasty. He is reliably dated as having lived between 464 - 524 CE.
Pūjyapāda. "Samādhitantra". Sanskrit text, Hindi translation, Introduction and Shloka Index. Hindi translation by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj. Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 5. Mumbai: Hindi Granth Karyalay, 2006. ISBN 978-81-88769-06-3.
Pujya pada has written an exclusive text book on the management of eye diseases entitled NETRA PRAKASHIKA . The manuscript is in taleyole form is available in tanjore sarswathi mahal library of tanjavur...Any one has seen the book in print form?
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
tradition of Jains
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
. Before initiation as a Jain ascetic, he was known as Devanandi. Since it was believed that he was worshiped by demigods on account of his vast scholarship and deep piety, he was named Pūjyapāda. He was heavily influenced by the writings of his predecessors like Ācārya Kundakunda
Kundakunda
Kundakunda is a celebrated Jain Acharya, Jain scholar monk, 2nd century CE, composer of spiritual classics such as: Samayasara, Niyamasara, Pancastikayasara, Pravacanasara, Atthapahuda and Barasanuvekkha. He occupies the highest place in the tradition of the Jain acharyas.He belonged to the Mula...
and Ācārya Samantabhadra
Samantabhadra
Samantabhadra , is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with Buddhist practice and meditation. Together with Shakyamuni Buddha and fellow bodhisattva Manjusri he forms the Shakyamuni trinity in Buddhism...
. He is rated as being the greatest of the early masters of Jain literature. He was prominent preceptor, with impeccable pontifical pedigree and spiritual lineage. "He was a great yogi, sublime mystic, brilliant poet, noted scholar, eminent author and master of several branches of learning. He wrote in Sanskrit, in prose as well as verse form. He was pontiff of the Nandi sangha, which was a part of the lineage of Ācārya Kundakunda. He was the tenth guru of the pontifical lineage of the Nandi Sangha. He was born in a brahmin family of Karnataka. His parents were Madhava Bhatta and Shridevi.
It is likely that he was the first Jain saint to write not only on religion but also on secular subjects, such as ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
and Sanskrit grammar
Sanskrit grammar
The grammar of the Sanskrit language has a complex verbal system, rich nominal declension, and extensive use of compound nouns. It was studied and codified by Sanskrit grammarians from the later Vedic period , culminating in the Pāṇinian grammar of the 4th century BC.-Grammatical tradition:The...
. When one looks at the earlier writers in the Jain tradition, notably Kundakunda
Kundakunda
Kundakunda is a celebrated Jain Acharya, Jain scholar monk, 2nd century CE, composer of spiritual classics such as: Samayasara, Niyamasara, Pancastikayasara, Pravacanasara, Atthapahuda and Barasanuvekkha. He occupies the highest place in the tradition of the Jain acharyas.He belonged to the Mula...
and Samantabhadra
Samantabhadra
Samantabhadra , is a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism associated with Buddhist practice and meditation. Together with Shakyamuni Buddha and fellow bodhisattva Manjusri he forms the Shakyamuni trinity in Buddhism...
, one does not find any secular writings. They wrote beautifully on religion and the means to attain liberation. Whereas Ācārya Pūjyapāda, besides being a profound scholar of the Jain religion and a mendicant walking in the footsteps of the Jinas, was a grammarian, master of Sanskrit poetics and of ayurveda
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
. Ācārya Pūjyapāda was said to be the guru of King Durvinita of the Ganga dynasty. He is reliably dated as having lived between 464 - 524 CE.
Ācārya Pūjyapāda's works
- Digambara Jain monks hold that one must master three texts in order to have a fruitful ascetic career:
- i)
- ii) Jainendra Vyākaraṇa to cleanse one's language
- iii) Kalyāṇakāraka to cleanse one's body and keep it free of disease and the debilitating effects of aging.
- Jainābhiṣeka (Jain Anointment) - A work on Jain rituals
- Chandaśāstra (Treatise on Prosody) - A work on Sanskrit prosody
Ācārya Pūjyapāda's philosophy
Pūjyapāda is emphatic and focused that liberation is the only way to attain eternal bliss. Pointing to the knotty nature of materialism, existentialism and hedonism he leads the reader to the path of spiritual bliss through rational knowledge, rational perception and rational conduct. He is a writer of brevity and does not believe in highly embellished poetry. He says what he needs to in simple Sanskrit verse.Some Publications of Ācārya Pūjyapāda's works
Pūjyapāda. . Sanskrit text, Hindi translation, Introduction and Shloka Index. Hindi translation by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj. Edited by Manish Modi. Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 14. Mumbai: Hindi Granth Karyalay, 2007. ISBN 978-81-88769-23-0.Pūjyapāda. "Samādhitantra". Sanskrit text, Hindi translation, Introduction and Shloka Index. Hindi translation by Dr Jaykumar Jalaj. Pandit Nathuram Premi Research Series Volume 5. Mumbai: Hindi Granth Karyalay, 2006. ISBN 978-81-88769-06-3.
Online Information of related interest
- http://www.jainstudy.org
- http://www.hindibooks.8m.com
- http://www.gohgk.com
Pujya pada has written an exclusive text book on the management of eye diseases entitled NETRA PRAKASHIKA . The manuscript is in taleyole form is available in tanjore sarswathi mahal library of tanjavur...Any one has seen the book in print form?
Attribution
- The original version of this article incorporated text from http://www.gohgk.com/servlet/Detail?no=15, a GFDL source.