Acharya Pujyapada

Pujyapada was a great acharya of the Jains who lived in the 5th century AD. He was a very eminent scholar of Jain Philosophy, Logic, Medicine and Literature. Acharya Pujyapada was born in a Brahmin household in Karnataka. His parents were Madhava Bhatta and Shridevi. He was known as Devanadi before he was initiated in the Jain tradition. He was called Pujyapada because the forest deities worshipped his feet for his profound knowledge and vast scholarship. He is also called Jinendra Buddhi on account of his great learning. Acharya Pujyapada belonged to the Digambara tradition of Jains.

Acharya Pujyapada was highly influenced by the writings of scholars like Acharya Kundakunda and Acharya Samantabhadra. He is regarded as a great preceptor, reputed author and a master of Jain literature. He wrote his works in Sanskrit language in both prose and also in verse form. He was pontiff of the Nandi sangha, which was a part of the lineage of Acharya Kundakunda. He was the tenth guru of the pontifical lineage of the Nandi Sangha.

It is believed that Acharya Pujyapada is the first Jain saint who has written not only on religion but also on secular subjects like Ayurveda and Sanskrit grammar. Unlike other Jain scholars Acharya Pujyapada, was also a grammarian, master of Sanskrit poetics and of Ayurveda. Acarya Pujyapada was said to be the guru of Emperor Durvinita of the Ganga dynasty.

Works of Acharya Pujyapada
Some of the notable works of Acharya Pujyapada have been listed below:

Jainendra Grammar or Vyakaranya- it deals with Sanskrit grammar and is considered as one of the finest early works on Sanskrit grammar.

Sarvarthasiddhi (Attainment of Higher Goals) - Sarvarthasiddhi is the earliest surviving work on the Tattvarthasutra. It serves as the definitive mula patha for all Digambara works on the Tattvarthasutra.

Samadhitantra (Method of Self-Contemplation) - the work deals with yoga and adhyatma. It shows the path to liberation through differentiating the soul from the body. It has 106 verses.

Istopadesa (Divine Sermons) - It is a brief work of 51 verses that deals with the real and ethical aspects of life. The work gives examples from day to day lives. Here Acharya Pujyapada mentions about the ways of making one`s mundane lives sublime. He highlights the differences between the important and the unimportant the essential and the non-essential. He also mentions that without realising the essential difference between the soul and the body it is not possible to attain liberation.

Dasabhaktyadisangraha (Collection of Ten Adorations) - This is a collection of 10 adorations of the Arihantas and the Siddhas. It also maintains the record traditions of life of Lord Mahavira.

Santyastaka (Hymn in Praise of Santinatha) - It is a poem of 8 verses. This is written in reverence to Lord Shantinath, the 16th Tirthankara.

Kalyanakaraka (Causer of Benefit) - it is a priceless work on Ayurveda.

According to Digambara Jain monks one needs to master three texts to have a proper ascetic career. The three texts are:

Samadhitantra to cleanse the soul
Jainendra Vyakarana to cleanse one`s language
Kalyanakaraka to cleanse one`s body and keep it free of disease.
Sabdavataranyasa (Arrangement of Words and their Forms) - it a work on the Sanskrit grammar.
Jainabhiseka (Jain Anointment) - it a work on the Jain rituals
Chandasastra (Treatise on Prosody) - it a work on the Sanskrit prosody