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Jaina Canonical Literature
And Its Development
The Jaina pbilosophical literature is classified into five broad divisions, and it is possible on the basis of this division to understand the nature of Jaina philosophical literature from the time of Bhagavān Mahāvira—the twenty-fourth Tirthahkara to the present day. The five divisions are as follows:
1. The Age of Āgamas." 2. The Age of the Anekānta view. 3. The Age of the establishment of Pramānaśastra. 4. The Age of the Neo Nyāya. 5 The Modern Age of collection and editing.
H3 THE AGE OF AGAMAS
The period of the Agamas may be considered to begin with the time of parinirvāņa of tīrthunkarı Mahavira (Vikrama-pūrva 470) and extended for thousand years. The teachings of Mabāvīra were collated by the Ganadharas. Mahāvīra gave the conceptual content of the Jain-śāstras (in the form of artharüpa) and the same has been presented in the form of literature expressed in language by Gaņadharas. These works are called "Sūtrāgama'. The Agama literature is, therefore, of two forms: 1. Arthāgama, and 2. Sūtrāgama. The Agama literature has been presented for the sake of the study by Acāryas, and therefore, it has also been called, 'Gaņipițakas'. The collection of the teachings of Bhagavān Mahāvira has been made into 12 works and has been called Dvādašākgi. They are 1 (1)
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