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BELIEFS AND TRADES
Aphorism 21 gives names of various beliefs on the basis of ways of dressing and other habitual activities prevalent during that period Some of these are Charak, Cheerak, Charmakhandık, Gautam, Gauvratık etc
The mention of caste names derived from business or profession indicates that in medieval India caste was based on trade or profession and was not by birth. Some caste names based on trade and profession are-Dausık or weavers, Sautrik or yarn-makers, Tantrik or musicians playing stringed instruments, Munjakar or rope makers, Vardhkar or cobblers, Pustkar or paper manufacturers and writers, Dantkar or those working with ivory and other bones. (aphorism 304)
From the names of performing artists it is revealed that, like in present times, there were expert gymnasts and acrobats during that period also. They presented entertaining performances for the masses by their acrobatics and practiced movements of different parts of their body. Some of these were Nartak or a dancer, Jalla or one who dances on a string, Malla or a wrestler, Plavak or a diver, Lankh or one who shows his acrobatic skills on a thick pole (aphorism 304)
Many weights and measures were in use during that period to weigh or measure food-grains, liquids, minerals (aphorisms 320 to 344) The description of weights and measures brings out a vivid picture of the fairly developed state of the then prevalent trading practices.
Thus, Anuyogadvar Sutra contains not only philosophical and religious informations, but also abundant information on society and culture. This provides information about the highly development state of art, literature, irade and commerce during that period THE NAME AND THE PERIOD OF THE COMPILER
In Jain Agam, Anuyogadvar Sutra and Nandı Sutra are the most recent.
The question as to who is the author of Anuyogadvar Sutra has not yet been satisfactorily answered. Some scholars are of the view that till the time of Arya Vajra Swami, the Agams were studied without any classification into different Anuyogas. But his chief disciple Arya Rakshit Suri, the twentieth head of the order since Bhagavan Mahavir (570 to 597 A.N.M), classified the Agams into four Anuyogas. He
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