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XVI : CANDRAVEDHYAKA PRAKĪRŅAKA
to convey the ideas or meaning. In its view the meaning is important not the words. It is this lack of emphasis on words that the āgamas of Jaina tradition could not keep their linguistic character intact, as the Vedas have been able to do over the millennia. This is the reason that the Jaina Canonical literature got divided into two streams, namely the Ardhamāgadhi Canons and the Sauraseni Canons. Of these, the Ardhamāgadhi canonical literature is not only considerably more ancient but also closer to the original language in which Lord Mahāvīra preached. The development of the Sauraseni canonical literature was also based on these Ardhamāgadhi canons. The Ardhamāgadhi canonical literature is, thus, the basis of the Sauraseni canonical literature. The Ardhamāgadhi canonical literature was also compiled and edited over a period of one thousand years - from the time of Lord Mahāvīra to 980 or 993 Vīrābda when they were edited and written in their present form in the Valabhi conclave. These works have also been modified, altered and enlarged during different conclaves (Vācanās).
Classification Of Canonical Texts :
In the ancient times the Ardhamāgadhi canonical literature was divided into two categories, namely the Angapraviştha and the Angabāhya. The Angapraviştha category includes eleven Arga canons and the Dșstivāda while the Angabā hya canons include all the other canons that were consideed to be the creations of Srutakevalis (Canoñomniscients - who knew all about the canons) and Pūrvadhara sthaviras (Elders in the know of Pūrvas or Pre-canons - fourteen pūrvas were a part of the twelfth Arga : Distivāda). In Nandisūtra, these Angabāhya canons have been subdivided into Āvaśyaka (esential) and Āvaśyakavyatirikta (other than essential). Āvaśyakavyatirikta canons have been further subdivided into Kālika (timely studiable
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