Agam 01 Ang 02 Acharanga Sutra Part 02 Sthanakvasi

Author(s): Amarmuni, Shreechand Surana
Publisher: Padma Prakashan

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15. The third Chula has one chapter titled Bhaavana. This contains the pious life-story of Bhagavan Mahavir in brief. According to acharyas this has been given as an answer to the question that who followed the codes of conduct detailed in the first Shrutaskandha of Acharanga Sutra. This chapter also contains the twenty five Bhaavanas (stimulants) of the five great vows.
16. The fourth Chula contains one chapter with just eleven verses. This contains the description of the detached and liberated soul.
In Acharya Shri Bhadrabahu's opinion the theme of Achara Chula is mentioned in the first Shrutaskandha of Acharanga Sutra in aphoristic style. This second Shrutaskandha contains only the elaboration of that.
Pindaishana, Vastraishana, Patraishana (etc.) all have figured in the first Shrutaskandha in aphoristic style. This part only contains them in more details. Thus it may be called an appendix or a supplementary work to the first Shrutaskandha. THE AUTHOR OF ACHARANGA
It is an established belief that the author of the first Shrutaskandha was Arya Sudharma Swami, the fifth Ganadhar (principle disciple) and the first head of the order after Bhagavan Mahavir. But there are different opinions about the second Shrutaskhandha. Various acharyas and researchers have opined that the author of the second Shrutaskandha was a sthavir. This is an Agam written by a sthavir.
The pertinent question is that who is a sthavir ?
According to Acharanga Churni and Nishith Churni sthavir means ganadhar. Thera ganadhara (Acharanga Churni, part I, p. 4)
Shilankacharya, the author of the Vritti, says-Sthavir means Chaturdash Purvadhar (a scholar of the fourteen purvas or subtle canons) or a senior and profound scholar of Shrut (the word of the Jina).
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