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khana-pos-howa-waschin'. Due to the inconsistency in its meaning there, the commentator had to write Tairyukta iti gamyam', but, on seeing the Sutras 'owa-iya' and 'Rayapaśeņa-iya', it is found that this reading should not be there where it has been written down. On the basis of both the abovementioned Sutras, the order of the text in view is constructed thus-O-sahaBhesajjenam Padilābhemāṇā bahubin Silawwaya-guna weramana-Paććakhāna Posahowa-wäschin abapariggahi-e-hin tawokamméhin appäņam bhäwemāņā wiharanti. In sûtra 2/1, in all the specimens, the text is särakallāņa Jawa kewa-in' but 'Jawa' serves no purpose here. On the basis of 8/217 of the Bhagwati as well as the first stenza of the Prajnapana, here the text is ascertained to be 'Jawati, instead of 'Jawa'.
In many instances, the meaning does not change by an alteration of letter but difficulty arises in understanding the meaning and sometimes it changes too. In Sūtra 6/90, the reading is 'hawwin'; and 'hetthin' as well as 'hitthin' the two recensions are also found. The commentator Abhayadeva Sūri has given the meaning as 'Sama' there. (See the commentary-leaf 271). In the sthänänga Sutra (143), on the same topic, the reading is as, 'hitthin'. Abhayadeva Sari has given its meaning there as 'below the Brahma-loka'. (See the Sthänänga-vritti leaf 410).
In same places the varient readings occur due to the mis-understanding of the transcriber and difference in characters in scripts. In Sutra 9/195, the reading is as 'Odharémāņi-odharémani'. In some specimens this reading is found in the form of 'uwadharemäpio-uwadharemanio'. In one copy, this reading is changed into 'uwari-dhare-mãnão-uwari-dhare-manio".
A few examples of recensions have been cited here to show that manuscripts or only one particular copy cannot be taken as the basis in the redemption of the text. It can be redeemed only on the basis of various Agamas, their commentaries and consistency of their meaning.
The problem of abridgement and redemption of the text
It is a task to lay down authentically the method of abridgement adopted by Devardhigani at the time of writing the Agama Sutras. And, it is a task because many Agamadharas have abridged the Agama-text in later periods. Probably, same transcribers too, for the sake of convenience of transcribing, have abridged the text.
In the abridged text of sütra 13/25, the dewoddeśaka of the second Sataka has been referred to indicate the kinds of Bhawanpati Dewas etc., but the full text is not there (2/117, page 111) and the sthänpada of the Prajnapnā has been referred to. Likewise, in the abridged text of Sutra 16/33, the third
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