Agam 10 Ang 10 Prashna Vyakaran Sutra Sthanakvasi

Author(s): Amarmuni, Varunmuni, Sanjay Surana
Publisher: Padma Prakashan

Page 22

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Preface
With its ever-changing nature this Bharat Area passes through infinite progressive and regressive cycles of time. Each progressive and regressive cycle has different set of Tirthankars, the supreme souls. They are the sources of the streams of knowledge in which worthy beings dip and gain purity. Those worthy of liberation tread the path of right knowledge-faith-conduct to reach their goal of liberation. After the nirvana of a Tirthankar his chief disciples, Ganadhars carry his tradition. With passage of time the treasure of this knowledge undergoes decline and becomes extinct. Then comes a new Tirthankar and a new source of knowledge and this goes on.
The current regressive cycle of time saw Rishabhadev as the first Tirthankar. About 2500 back came the last Tirthankar Bhagavan Mahavir Swami. Bhagavan Mahavir had eleven Ganadhars, nine of whom attained liberation during his lifetime. Gautam Swami attained Keval Jnana (omniscience) immediately after Bhagavan's own nirvana. Thus Sudharma Swami was the only Ganadhar left as a chhadmasth (one who is short of omniscience due to residual karmic bondage), and he became the first head of the order after Bhagavan Mahavir. (A Kevali does not lead the order after the Tirthankar because there is no difference in the level of omniscience of a Tirthankar and a Kevali. Therefore he, as a rule, does not quote the Tirthankar by saying, "I say as I have listened from Bhagavan." A Kevali would say only what he has himself realized and that would end the order established by the Tirthankar.). As such whatever knowledge we have today in the form of Shrut (the sermon of Bhagavan Mahavir) is in the form of discourse of Sudharma Swami, the fifth Ganadhar. Whatever Bhagavan conveys as essence (artha) through his utterance is compiled and organized by Ganadhars as Sutra (canon) in twelve parts (Dwadashangi). They are - (1) Acharanga Sutra, (2) Sutrakritanga Sutra, (3) Sthãnãnga Sutra, (4) Samvãyãnga Sutra, (5) Vyakhyaprajnapti or Bhagavati Sutra, (6) Jnãtãdharmakathãnga Sutra, (7) Upasakdashanga
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