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PREFACE
The basic scriptures of the Vedic tradition are the Vedas and those of the Buddhist tradition are Tripitaks. The Jains call their basic scriptures-Agams.
According to the Vedic belief the Vedas are divine. Which means that they are not the creation of some human being. The concept in vogue now is that the Vedas are the compilations of numerous mantras that were revealed to various sages.
The Buddha and some other Thers (senior monks) are believed to be the original authors of the Pitak.
The authors of the Agams were great visionaries and scholars.
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The principles and the inherent message contained in the Agams were given by the omniscient and detached Arihants. The themes and ideas thus acquired were composed and compiled in the form of sutras (aphorisms) into scriptures by the great visionaries and scholars popularly known as the knowers of the fourteen Purvas, or Ganadhars (principle disciples) and sthavirs (senior ascetics). These great sages were also called Shrut Kevali (omniscient in terms of all scriptural knowledge). The first compiler of the available Agams was Ganadhar Sudharma Swami, the first head of the religious order formed by Bhagavan Mahavir. Many other Shrut Kevalis in his lineage augmented his work. (Avashyak Niryukti 92)
The name of the complete set of original Agams (believed, by the Shvetambar tradition, to be the original compilation of the teachings of Bhagavan Mahavir) is Dwadashangi or Ganipitak (The Set of Works by Ganis). Dwadashangi is the oldest name and it means—The twelve angas (parts). At present only eleven Angas are available. This set of works is called the Anga Agams. The name of the twelfth Agam is Drishtivad and it is not available now. There are said to be many sections of this Drishtivad; one of which is Purvagat or Purva which in turn are fourteen in number. Even these are not available now. However, it is believed that some parts of these are available as brief excerpts and these are included in this work known as Dashavaikalik Sutra.
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