Agam 08 Ang 08 Antkrutdashang Sutra Sthanakvasi

Author(s): Amarmuni, Shreechand Surana, Rajkumar Jain, Purushottamsingh Sardar
Publisher: Padma Prakashan

Page 37

Three types of elder sages are described in Agamas.
(i) Vayah sthavira ( Elder by age ) - He must be at least sixty years of age. (ii) Diksā sthavira ( Elder by consecration ) - He must have been consecrated at least twenty years before.
(iii) $ruta sthavira ( Elder by knowledge ) - He must know the meaning of Sthānanga and Samavāyānga.
Ārya Sudharma was elder sage by all the aforesaid three points of view.
Arya-In ancient times the word Arya was an address denoting honourable, superior etc. This address was frequently used for the learned persons and persons opulent with rectitude.
We get the word Arya (Präkṛta form Ajja) used for Gaṇadhara Sudharma, Jambu and later preachers in Agamas and later literature.
In Jain & Bauddha tradition the word Bhante is frequently used for religious teachers, preachers and authentic persons. The word Bhante has many renderings, like-opulated with the high virtues of right knowledge, faith, conduct etc., or Bhavanta-destructor of the cycle of births and deaths. This meaning should also be conceived by the word Bhagawāna.
सूत्र ३ :
एवं खलु जंबू ! समणेणं जाव संपत्तेणं अट्ठमस्स अंगस्स अंतगडदसाणं अट्ठ वग्गा पण्णत्ता ।
जइ णं भंते ! समणेणं जाव संपत्तेणं अट्ठमस्स अंगस्स अंतगडदसाणं अट्ठ वग्गा पण्णत्ता, पढमस्स णं भंते वग्गस्स अंतगडदसाणं समणेणं जाव संपत्तेणं कइ अज्झयणा पण्णत्ता ?
एवं खलु जंबू ! समणेणं जाव संपत्तेणं अट्ठमस्स अंगस्स अंतगडदसाणं पढमस्स वग्गस्स दस अज्झयणा पण्णत्ता तं जहा
१४
५
गोयम' समुद्द सागर गंभीरे ४ चेव होइ थिमि " य ।
७
अयले ६ कंपिल्ले " खलु, अक्खोभ' पसेणई' विण्हू १० ॥
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अन्तकृद्दशा सूत्र : प्रथम वर्ग