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## Editorial Note: A Critical Review of the Cheda-Sutras
The Jain tradition, as understood by the Sthānakavāsī, recognizes 32 Āgamas as the word of the liberated ones (Vītarāga-vāṇī). These are: eleven Angas, twelve Upangas, four Mūlas, four Chedas, and one Prāvaśyaka.
The Śvetāmbara Mūrti-pūjaka tradition, however, recognizes forty-five Āgamas. The number of Angas, Upangas, etc. remains the same. However, they include Mahāniśītha and Pañcakalpa along with Niśītha, Daśāśrutaskandha, Bṛhatkalpa, and Vyavahārasūtra in the Prakīrṇakas and Cheda-sūtras.
The Āgamas, including Angas, Upangas, etc., encompass all aspects of literature: religion, philosophy, ethics, culture, civilization, history, art, etc. However, they primarily focus on elaborating Jain philosophy, religious principles, and ethical practices. The Angas, Upangas, and Mūla-varga primarily deal with theoretical concepts. Ācārāṅga, Upāsaka Daśāṅga, and Prāvaśyaka Sūtras extensively discuss ethical practices. The Cheda-sūtras are the embodiments of rules and regulations for ethical purity. This note provides some insights into the Cheda-sūtras.
Why the name Cheda-sūtra? The term "Cheda" is not new to the Jain tradition. The second of the five types of conduct is called Chedopa sthāpanācāritra. While the general meaning of "Cheda" is the piercing of body parts like ears, nose, etc., the meaning of "Cheda" in the context of religion is as follows:
"Vajjhāṇuṭāṇeṇam jeṇa ṇa bāhijjjae taje ṇiyaya. Sambhavaī ya parisuddha' so puṇa dhammammī cheutti."
This means that "Cheda" is that which does not hinder religion through external actions and leads to increased purity. Therefore, the characteristic of Chedopa sthāpanā is to establish the soul in the five types of Yama-like Dharma, namely non-violence, etc., by abandoning the old, cautious practices. Or, Chedopa sthāpanā-samyama is the abandonment of actions like violence, theft, etc., with their respective distinctions, and the purification through atonement, etc., when a vow is broken. This is of two types: Nirati-cāra and Sāti-cāra.
In Nirati-cāra Chedopa sthāpanā, the practitioner is established in the five great vows, namely non-violence, etc., by separating them from the previous Samayika conduct, which involved the complete abandonment of all actions. In Sāti-cāra Chedopa sthāpanācāritra, atonement is necessary along with criticism for re-establishment (punaḥ sthāpita). This atonement is based on the severity of the transgression. There are ten types of atonement, of which Cheda-prāyaścitta is the seventh. There are seven atonements, from critical atonement to Cheda-prāyaścitta, which are given to the clothed ascetics. The last three are given to the unclothed ascetics.