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[First Chapter]
[5 Arya Sudharma Swami said - "Jambu! The Shraman Bhagwan has expounded the eight sections of the Ashtama Antakrid Dashaang."
Discussion - It is clear from the observation of the Agam-Paripati that all the Agams are in the form of questions and answers of Arya Jambu Swami and Arya Sudharma Swami. Arya Jambu Swami asks questions and Arya Sudharma Swami answers them. These questions and answers appear before us today in the form of Agams. This clarity is reflected in the present Sutra. The Antakrid Dashaang Sutra begins with such questions and answers. In this Sutra, Arya Jambu Swami has presented the curiosity of hearing the Ashtama Antakrid Dashaang Agam through questions and answers.
Actually, there are three types of Agams - (1) Atmagam, (2) Anantaragam and (3) Paramparagam:
The knowledge of Agams without the teachings of the Gurus is called Atmagam. For the Tirthankar Paramatma, Arthagam is Atmagam and for the Ganadharas, Sutraagam is Atmagam. (The original Agam is called Sutraagam, the Agam in the form of the meaning of the Sutra is called Arthagam and the Agam in the form of both Sutra and meaning is called Tadubhayagam).
The knowledge of Agam obtained from a person who is himself an Atmagamdhari is called Anantaragam. For Ganadhar Bhagwan, Arthagam is Anantaragam and for Jambu Swami and other Ganadhar-Shishyas, Sutraagam is Anantaragam.
The knowledge of Agam which is not obtained from the Atmagamdhari Mahapurush but is obtained from the tradition of his disciples, disciples etc., is called Paramparagam. For example, Arthagam is Paramparagam for Jambu Swami and other Ganadhar Shishyas and both Sutra and meaning of Agam are Paramparagam for all the Sadhakas after them.
Therefore, it is clear that the present Antakrid Dashaang Sutra is Atmagam for the Tirthankar Paramatma, Anantaragam for the Ganadharas and Paramparagam for the Ganadhar-Shishyas from the point of view of meaning. Similarly, this Agam is Atmagam for the Ganadharas, Anantaragam for the Ganadhar-Shishyas and Paramparagam for the Ganadhar-Prishishyas from the point of view of the Sutra.
The Tirthankar Paramatma expounds the Agams in the form of meaning, the Ganadharas weave them into the form of Sutras. Actually, Ganadhar Bhagwan are the preachers of the substance obtained from the Tirthankar Paramatma, they are not the viewers or creators of it themselves.
The present Sutra states that Arya Sudharma said to Jambu Anugar - "O Jambu! Bhagwan Mahavira has expounded the eight sections of the Antagad Sutra."
The word "Vagga" used in this Sutra means section. Section means a division of the scripture, a chapter or a group of studies.
The request presented by Arya Jambu Swami after knowing the present views of Arya Sudharma Swami is now shown in the third Sutra.
1. Anuyogadwar Praman Vishay-Sutra-147