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[318] It is possible that the *Nishītha Sūtra* was separated from the *Vyavahāra Sūtra* and named *Nishītha* at the time of its composition. Prior to that, there is no evidence of the name *Nishītha* in any of the previous texts. It was only referred to as *Prācāra-prakalpa* or *Prācāra-prakalpa-adhyayana*. Due to the separation of the *Nishītha Sūtra*, there have been various opinions regarding its author, such as: 1. It was quoted from the *Pūrva* by Viśākhagaṇi. 2. Pāryaraksita composed it due to the need of the time. 3. The fourteenth *Pūrva* Bhadrabahu Svāmī quoted all four *Chheda Sūtras* from the *Pūrva*, etc. These are some of the speculations. The *Vyavahāra Sūtra* mentions *Prācāra-prakalpa-adhyayana* and states that both monks and nuns should memorize it. The *Vyavahāra Sūtra* is composed by the fourteenth *Pūrva* Bhadrabahu Svāmī. Therefore, it is clearly against the *Pūrva* to speculate that Viśākhagaṇi and Ārya Rakṣita, who came after Bhadrabahu Svāmī, composed *Prācāra-prakalpa*. If we accept that one of these two *Ācāryas* quoted from the *Pūrva*, then the *Nishītha Sūtra* would have to be considered a part of the *Pūrva*. However, the *Vyavahāra Sūtra* states that nuns should memorize it, and nuns are prohibited from studying the *Pūrva*. Therefore, the option of these two *Ācāryas* quoting from the *Pūrva* is also not true. However, it is certain that this *Prācāra-prakalpa* was available in a form different from the *Pūrva* even before these *Ācāryas*. Bhadrabahu Svāmī did not compose four *Chheda Sūtras*, but only three. This is clear from the first verse of the *Daśāśruta-skandha Sūtra* which states: "I bow to Bhadrabahu, the last of the wise, who has mastered all the good knowledge. He has separated the *Sūtra* into ten chapters, and also in the *Daśā-kṣapa-vyavahāra*." The composer of the *Daśāśruta-skandha*, the second Bhadrabahu Svāmī, has bowed to the first Bhadrabahu Svāmī, calling him the ancient Bhadrabahu, and has stated that he composed three *Sūtras*. If Bhadrabahu Svāmī had composed the *Nishītha Sūtra*, then instead of using the term *Prācāra-prakalpa* sixteen times in the *Vyavahāra Sūtra*, or mentioning it in the context of the order of study, he would have mentioned *Nishītha* somewhere. However, *Nishītha* is not mentioned in the order of study either. Only *Prācāra-prakalpa* and *Daśā-kṣapa-vyavahāra* are mentioned. Therefore, it is not evidence-based to say that Bhadrabahu composed the *Nishītha Sūtra*. All these considerations prove that it is not a composition by anyone, but rather a separation of the study of the *Ācārāṅga* for some purpose. We do not have any basis to know when and by whom it was separated, how long it was called *Prācāra-prakalpa*, and when it became *Nishītha*. However, it is certain that it was separated at the time of the composition of the *Nandisūtra*, and its name was also fixed as *Nishītha Sūtra*. The *Prācāra...