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22 - JAIN SCRIPTURES AND LITERATURE
22 - Jain Scriptures and Literature
Lord Mahävir's preaching was memorized and orally compiled into many Sutras (collection of small sentences) by his disciples. These Sutras are known as Jain Agams or Agam Sutras (known as Jain scriptures). The Agam Sutras promote great reverence for all forms of life, strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, compassion, nonviolence, and opposition to war.
These scriptures were not documented in any form (not written down) but were memorized by ascetics and passed on orally to the next generation of ascetics.
Over the course of time, many of gam Sutras were forgotten, some were modified, and new Sutras were added. About one thousand years after Lord Mahävir's Nirvana, the memorized Agam Sutras were recorded on palm-leaves (Tädpatris). By that time Drashtiväd, the twelfth Anga Agam text, was lost as no monk could remember any sutras of this Agam.
Ägam Sutras The Ägam Sutras are divided into two major groups: Anga Ägam Sutras Anga Ägam Sutras contain the direct preaching of Lord Mahävir. The main disciples of Lord Mahävir known as Ganadhars compiled them after Lord Mahävir's first sermon. They consist of 12 textbooks. The twelfth text known as Drashtiväd, which includes 14 Purvas, is extinct. Hence, in reality, there are only 11 Anga Agams. The names and contents of the Anga Agam Sutras remain undisputed among the various Jain traditions. The major Anga Ägam Sutras are Ächäräng, Sutrakritang, Bhagavati, Sthänänga, and Samaväyänga Sutras. Angabähya Ägam Sutras Shruta Kevali monks, who possessed total knowledge of the 12 Anga Agams, compiled the Angabähya Agam Sutras to further explain Anga Agam Sutras. They were compiled orally less than 160 years after Lord Mahävir's Nirvana. They provide a further explanation of the Anga Agam Sutras.
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JAINISM AND SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
