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EDITORIAL
I
ancient Jain literature, thirty two Agams occupy the most prominent place. In Agams the teachings of Tirthankar Mahavir have been compiled in the form of Sutras (aphorism) by his prime disciples. Some scriptures were composed later on by the Acharyas also but even in them the basic teachings are of Bhagawan Mahavir.
Tirthankar Mahavir stated exactly what he had seen in his omniscience. The Gandhars stored in their memory (intellect) whatever was stated by Tirthankar Mahavir and dextly compiled them in the form of Sutras. For one thousand years that knowledge was transmitted by the guru (teacher) to his disciples and in that manner, this tradition continued but with the passage of time, there was a decline in the faculty of memory among the practitioners of spirituality. Such a decline of memory naturally affected Agam literature. It was not easy to retain in memory the vast Agam literature since there was a decline in faculty of memory. Appearance of famine at different intervals was also the cause of void in Scriptures. Many experts in literature pertaining to Scriptures passed away. Several groups of Shraman moved to distant places in Southern India. Since Jain monks could not have mutual discussions, there was a great loss in knowledge of scriptures and such a loss became prominent in the form of a void in such literature. Ultimately 980 years after the nirvana of Bhagvan Mahavir. Acharya Devardhi gani called a conference of monks at Vallabhi in order to stop this trend of decline in scriptural literature. Several learned monks took part in the conference under the direction of Devardhi gani kshamashraman. For the first time sutras were reduced in writing. Since Agams took the form of books, this literature took a specific form and the trend of further omission in lesson pertaining to Agams stopped.
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