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## Introduction
The description of the nature, state, parts, and regions of karma, bondage, arising, excitation, essence, and transition, as presented in the first six chapters of the Kasayapahuḍ, is based on the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ. Since the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ was widely studied during the time of Acharya Guṇadhara, he did not say anything about the first five chapters. Instead, he presented only three gatha-sutras in the form of questions related to the subject matter of those chapters. This is strong evidence that the Kasayapahuḍ predates the Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama. We will shed more light on this subject while discussing the Churnisutras later.
## Guṇadhara and Dharasen
Among the Acharyas renowned for establishing the scriptures (śruta-pratiṣṭhāpaka) in the Digambara tradition, Acharya Guṇadhara and Acharya Dharasen are prominent. Acharya Dharasen had knowledge of the second past Pejjaḍosapahuḍ, while Acharya Guṇadhara had knowledge of the fifth past Pejjaḍosapahuḍ. From this perspective, the following inferences can be drawn:
1. Acharya Guṇadhara was a more knowledgeable scholar than Acharya Dharasen. Besides the Pejjaḍosapahuḍ, he also had knowledge of the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ, as evidenced by the present Kasayapahuḍ, which includes separate chapters on bondage, transition, arising, and excitation, all related to the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ. These chapters correspond to the sixth, twelfth, and tenth Anuyōgadvāras of the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ, respectively. The twenty-fourth Anuyōgadvāra of the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ, called Alp̣abahutva, is also present throughout all the chapters of the Kasayapahuḍ. This proves that Acharya Guṇadhara was not only knowledgeable about the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ but also about the Pejjaḍosapahuḍ and was its summarizer in the form of the Kasayapahuḍ. Conversely, there is no evidence to suggest that Acharya Dharasen was also knowledgeable about the Pejjaḍosapahuḍ.
2. Acharya Dharasen did not summarize or create any text, while Acharya Guṇadhara summarized the Pejjaḍosapahuḍ in the present text. Therefore, while Acharya Dharasen is considered a master of Jain scriptures (jaya-vācak-pravara), Acharya Guṇadhara emerges as a sutra-kāra (author of sutras).
3. When we compare Acharya Guṇadhara's present work with ancient texts on karma like the Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama, Kammapayḍī, Sataka, and Sittari, we find that his work is extremely concise, unambiguous, filled with seed-words (bīja-pada), profound, and composed of essential words. This leaves no doubt about his status as a sutra-kāra. This is why Jayadhavalakāra considered each of his verses as a sutra-gāthā and described it as containing infinite meaning. Such a clear explanation of the principles of karma's transition, elevation, degradation, and other related concepts is not found in any other text. Thus, Acharya Guṇadhara is proven to be earlier and more knowledgeable than Acharya Dharasen.
## Puṣpadanta and Bhūtabali
Based on the Mahakammapayḍipahuḍ taught by Acharya Dharasen, the great scholars Bhagavan Puṣpadanta and Bhūtabali composed the Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama sutras. Although it is not possible to compare the Kasayapahuḍ, which is extremely concise and written in the form of gatha-sutras, with the Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama, which is written in prose and is extensive, a careful observation of both texts reveals that...