Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
The composition style of the Prajñapana is in the form of questions and answers. From the first sutra to the eighty-first sutra, there is no information about who the questioner and the answerer are. There are only questions and answers. After that, in the eighty-second sutra, there is a dialogue between Shraman Bhagwan Mahavira and Ganadhar Gautam. From the eighty-third sutra to the ninety-second sutra, there are general questions and answers. In the ninety-third sutra, there are questions and answers between Ganadhar Gautam and Mahavira. After that, from the ninety-fourth sutra to the one hundred and forty-seventh sutra, there are general questions and answers. After that, from one hundred and forty-eight to two hundred and eleven, i.e., in the entire second part; in the third part, the sutras from two hundred and twenty-five to two hundred and seventy-five and the sutras three hundred and twenty-five, three hundred and thirty to three hundred and thirty-three; from the fourth part onwards, in the sutras of all the remaining parts, questions and answers between Gautam Ganadhar and Bhagwan Mahavira are given. Only in their beginning, middle and end, the coming gathas and in one thousand eighty-six, there are no questions and answers. Just as there are authority gathas at the beginning of the entire text, similarly, there are subject-indicating gathas at the beginning of many parts. For example, there are gathas at the beginning and end of the third, eighteenth, twentieth and twenty-third parts. Similarly, at the end of the tenth part, in the middle of the text and wherever necessary, gathas have been given. The total number of verses in the entire Pāgam is seven thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven. Excluding the interpolated gathas, there are a total of two hundred and thirty-two gathas and the rest is prose. Who is the author of the Sangrahani gathas in this Pāgam? It is difficult to say. Out of the thirty-six parts of the Prajñapana, the first part describes two types of beings: Sansari and Siddha. After that, all the Sansari beings are included from Ekendriya to Panchendriya according to the order of the senses. Here, the regulating element of the types of beings is the gradual increase of the senses. In the second part, the beings are considered from the point of view of their location. Its order is also similar to the first part, i.e., sense-based. Just as there is Ekendriya there, similarly, here, the types are described by taking the earth-body, water-body, etc. bodies. From the third part onwards, in the remaining parts, the beings are divided from the point of view of motion, sense, body, yoga, kṣaya, taking, samyaktva, knowledge, vision, restraint, use, food, speaker, paritta, sufficient, subtle, sanji, bhava, astikaya, charma, jiva, kṣetra, bandha. Their minor importance has also been considered. That is, in the Prajñapana, after the third part, in the remaining parts, except for some exceptions, the beings divided into Naraka to twenty-four Dandakas have been considered. Acharya Malayagiri, while explaining the second gatha found in the Prajñapana sutra, has connected the subject-division with the description of the seven elements of Jiva, Ajīva, etc. in this way: 1-2. Jiva-Ajīva part-1, 3, 5, 10 and 13 = 5 parts 3. Prasrava- part -16, 22 = 2 parts . 39. Paṇṇavaṇāsutam, second part (publisher-Shri Mahavira Jain Vidyalaya) Introduction, page 10-11. 40. For this exception, see, part-13, 18, 21.