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तर सचित्र उत्तराध्ययन सूत्र
प्रथम अध्ययन
UTTARĀDHYAYNA AN EGREGIOUS JAIN APHORISM
The present Jain Scripture is entitled as Uttaradhyayana sutra. The word uttar has many meanings, e. g., best, utmost, last etc.
It is renowned that Bhagawana Mahāvīra precepted this sūtra, without any question or querry raised by any body. He expressed these thirtysix chapters. After this while he was expressing the thirtyseventh chapter entitled Pradhana, he attained salvation. So this scripture Uttarādhyayana sūtra is believed as the last precept of Bhagawāna Mahāvīra.
The uniqueness and supremity of the sūtra depends upon many inherent qualities amalgamated in it. This presents the exhaustive analysis of śramana religion or Jainism. Hence, it can be said as the Gita of Vaidic religion, Tripitaka of Buddhism, Bible of Christianty and Quran of Muslims.
The completeness of this sūtra lies in the fact that all the subjects propounded by Jainology are included in this, namely-rightknowledge-faith-conduct-penance, special incidents and episodes of the great-men, code of conduct for monks, duties of teacher-preceptor and pupil etc.
Therefore it can be dignified as the compendium of immense Jain canonical literature.
Due to these and many other prevalences this sūtra from the very beginning till now remained the centre of faith, popular in the Jain world and thousands of Jains read this with their utmost belief.
There are thirtysix chapters in this sūtra. Though every chapter deals the different topic of Jainology; still they are like the beads of a single rosary. Every bead has its own shining so assimilated they profuse the whole chaplet with multi-coloured rosary and gives a divine touch to whole Uttaradhyayana. That is why, this egregious and divine sūtra became the guttural of Jains.
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