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knowledge of the Jaina Church. Other sources like the epigraphs, the paṭṭāvalis, etc. occupy also a significant position not because they contain a complete picture of the inner working of the Jaina Order but because they substantiate and supplement the statement forwarded by the Canon.
Both the Digambaras and the Svetämbaras claim to possess a separate collection of Canonical texts, each discrediting the authenticity of the other. No wonder, if the Digambaras challenge the authenticity of the Svetambara Canon because the Svetambaras themselves are not sure of the total number of books, the Canon consists of. However the books comprising the Sveta mbara Canon are classified into the following six groups":
(a) The Angas:
INTRODUCTORY
(i) Ayāranga (ii) Suyagadanga
(iii) Thapanga
(iv) Samavāyāůga
(v) Viyahapanpatti (also called Bhagavaisuya)
(vi) Nayadhammaka hão
(vii) Uvasagadasão
(viii) Antagadadasão
(ix) Anuttarovavāiyadasão (x) Paphāvāgarapaim
(xi) Vivagasuya
(xii) Diṭṭhivaya (not extant).
(b) The Upangas:
(i) Ovavāiya
(ii) Rayapaseņaijja
(iii) Jivabhigama (iv) Pannavaņā
(v) Suriyapannatti (vi) Jambuddivapaņṇatti
(vii) Candapappatti
(viii) Niryavalio
1. Indian Antiquary, Vol. VIII, p. 29; HJM, p. 23.
2. Scholars are not unanimous about the total number of books of the Svetambara canon. Prof. Kapadia gives a list of 84 books (Vide Canonical literature of the Jainas, p. 58), while scholars like Winternitz (History of Indian Literature, Vol. II, pp. 428-30) and Weber (Indian Antiquary, Vols. XVIIXXI) refer to the list we have followed. Vide also HJM, pp. 16-18.
