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The Shri Sutra Kritanga Sutra: In ancient times, the scriptures of all religions were memorized by disciples from their gurus. This tradition continued, and this is likely the reason why the Vedas, which are called Shruti, were memorized by disciples from their teachers. The same reason seems to be behind the Jain scriptures being called Shruti. The Buddhists also memorized their scriptures through the Shravana tradition. This may also be because the renunciates, ascetics, Nirgranthas, and monks of all these traditions did not like to keep possessions, and a collection of scriptures is also a form of possession. If the scriptures are memorized, there is no need to keep books. This was possible because people then had excellent physical strength and memory.
After the Nirvana of Lord Mahavira, for about 560 years, the scriptures were preserved through the Shravana tradition of memorization. However, as time passed, people's physical strength and memory gradually declined. Another obstacle arose - a severe famine lasting 12 years occurred in Magadha, which was the main area of the Jains. This was during the reign of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya in all of North India. The conditions for obtaining proper, forbidden alms were not there, and the Jain monks scattered. Many died due to lack of food and water, and a concern arose in the Jain community that most of the scholars had perished. There was a fear that this rare Shruti treasure of our religion might be lost. A meeting was organized of the remaining monks who remembered the scriptures. Accordingly, under the leadership of Acharya Sthulabhadra, a meeting of Jain monks was held in Pataliputra to organize the Agamas. The Agamas were recited and preserved in memory.
Eleven Angas were compiled and organized at this meeting. The twelfth Anga, Drishtivad, was not remembered by any of the monks present at the meeting. According to history, only Acharya Bhadrabahu knew Drishtivad-Chaturdasha Purvas at that time. He was called Shruta Kevali. He was highly inclined towards sadhana, and therefore he was engaged in Mahapran meditation in a secluded place in Nepal. There is no discussion anywhere about what Mahapran meditation was. Meditation has certainly been of great importance in the Jain sadhana tradition. The ninth study of the first Shruti Skandha of the Acharang Sutra describes the charia of Lord Mahavira, where it is described that he meditated in many ways. The descriptions of Egg Poggal Nividdittthi - meditating by focusing one's vision on a single particle - indicate this. It seems that these various meditation techniques have not been preserved today. This Mahapran meditation was probably a specific practice of meditation based on the breathing process. Thus, the Jain community decided to send suitable, intelligent, and hardworking monks to him for study so that they could learn Drishtivad from him. It is said that 1500 monks were sent for this purpose, 500 of them were students and 1000 were their servants. They requested Acharya Bhadrabahu to impart knowledge with great humility and persuasion. The Acharya graciously agreed and began to teach them.
The study was so complex that the student monks could not stay there and gradually began to leave. In the end, only Sthulabhadra remained, who diligently continued his studies. He had thoroughly mastered the text and meaning of the first ten Purvas. The study of the eleventh Purva was about to begin when an unexpected event occurred. Sthulabhadra's sisters, who were nuns, arrived there to see their brother, the monk. Sthulabhadra...