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The simple should be easily accessible. This was the case in Ardhamagadhi. Children, elders, women, educated and uneducated people from the Prakrit-speaking regions could all understand it. The Anga-literature, the teachings of the Lord as compiled by the Ganadharas, were collected in the following twelve Angas:
1. Achar, 2. Sutra-krit, 3. Sthan, 4. Samavay, 5. Vyakhya-prajnapti, 6. Jnatri-dharma-katha, 7. Upasaka-dasha, 8. Antakrid-dasha, 9. Anattaraupapatik-dasha, 10. Prasna-vyakaran, 11. Vipak, 12. Drishti-vad.
In ancient times, there was a tradition of memorizing scriptural knowledge. The Vedas, Pitakas, and Agamas all followed the tradition of memorization. At that time, people had excellent memory, physical strength, and stamina.
**Agam-Sankalan: The First Attempt**
For almost 560 years after the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira, the tradition of Agam-knowledge continued as it was. Then there was a setback. A twelve-year famine struck Magadh. This happened during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. Jain monks scattered far and wide. Many perished. The Jain Sangha was concerned about the safety of Agam-knowledge. After the famine ended, a conference of Jain monks was held in Pataliputra under the leadership of Sthulabhadra to organize the Agamas. Eleven Angas were compiled in this conference. The twelfth Anga, Drishti-vad, was not remembered by anyone. Only Bhadra-bahu knew Drishti-vad. He was engaged in the practice of Maha-pran-dhyan in Nepal at that time. An attempt was made to obtain that knowledge from him. Sthulabhadra was able to obtain the knowledge of the meaning of ten Purvas out of the fourteen Purvas of Drishti-vad. He only received the text of the remaining four Purvas.
This was the first attempt to compile the Agamas. It is called the first reading or Pataliputra-vachana of the Agamas.
Thus, the Agamas were compiled, but the method of preserving them remained the same - memorization. It is important to note here that the Vedas were written in Sanskrit, which is a grammar-based language, while the Jain Agamas were written in the vernacular language, which was not bound by the strict rules of grammar. Therefore, over time, some changes began to occur in the language of the Agamas. This was not possible in the Vedas. There was another reason for this. To preserve the word structure of the Vedas in their original form, five forms were established: Samhita-path, Pada-path, Krama-path, Jata-path. These forms ensured that not a single word of any mantra could be changed. This was not possible with the Agamas.
**The Second Attempt**
Between 827-840 years after the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira, an attempt was made to organize the Agamas in a more systematic way.
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