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this is the result of the preservation of the spirit of the original teachings. And the spirit of whatever Mahāvīra originally preached is equally preserved by both the traditions though the words these two traditions employ to transmit that spirit may differ.
One more point worthy of note with regard to the Jaina Āgamas is that they are based on the words of a Vitarāga (i.e, one free from attachment). So, the teachings embodied in them urge man to renounce the world and at the same time to take to the path of Liberation (moksa). Nothing of the sort can be said with regard to the Vedas. Therein the Rsis—the Vedic poets-offer their prayers to the deities in order that they may enjoy this worldly life. Hence there is no scope in the Vedas for the teaching on moksa (Liberation from this worldly life). The reason for the obliteration of the meanings of the Vedas as also for the Upanişads gradually gaining ever more prominence is that the doctrine of moksa (Liberation) had already found its legitimate place within the four corners of Indian culture. Thus when the doctrine of moksa became, so to say, the cornerstone of Indian culture, the teachings of the Vedas that favoured the sensuous enjoyment of worldly life were disregarded and pushed back into oblivion.
Though the Jaina Āgamas are recognized as religious works, they contain not only particular religious teachings but also accounts of the various branches of empirical knowledge. The study of atom is one of the most fruitful endeavour of modern natural science. But the only source from which we know what the Indian scientists, twentyfive centuries ago, thought of the nature of atoms are the Jaina Agamas. In saying this we are disclosing a brute fact and not merely betraying our devotion and loyalty to the Āgamas. Certainly if one wishes to acquaint oneself with the progress the Indians had made, upto the time of the Jaina Āgamas, in various branches of empirical knowledge one should turn to the only source of relevant information, that is, to these very Agamas.
It is needless to say that the Vedas, the Tripitakas and the Agamas are invaluable as religious scriptures. But, in addition, they are of very great use to those who want to reconstruct a picture of the social, economic, political, religious and cultural life of India of those times. Thus even though the Āgamas are valued as scriptures by the Jainas only, as a record of human history and culture their value is universal. Again, it is admitted on all hands that for the purpose of tracing out the origin of the various vernacular languages of India the study of Prakrit language is indispensable. Thus the Jaina Agamas are a proved source of linguistic materials and hence they enormously help those who want to study linguistics or Indian languages scientifically. These are the reosons why various scholars
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| SR No. | 001062 |
| Book Title | Nandisutt and Anuogaddaraim |
| Original Sutra Author | Devvachak, Aryarakshit |
| Author | Punyavijay, Dalsukh Malvania, Amrutlal Bhojak |
| Publisher | Mahavir Jain Vidyalay |
| Publication Year | 1968 |
| Total Pages | 764 |
| Language | Prakrit |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari, Agam, Canon, Ethics, agam_nandisutra, & agam_anuyogdwar |
| File Size | 14 MB |