Agam 44 Chulika 01 Nandi Sutra English Translation

Author(s): Dipratnasagar, Deepratnasagar
Publisher: Deepratnasagar

Page 14

Nandi Sootra
Arya Suhasti gave discourse to Samprati and made him a devotee. Emperor Samprati had great faith in Jain religion. His reign is known as the golden period in Jain history. Emperor Samprati enthusiastically worked for the spread of Jainism throughout the area under his rule.
COMMENTARY - Arya Mangu - After the death of Acharya Samudra in 454 A.N.M. Arya Mangu became the Vachanacharya. He was among one of the teachers of the Digambar Acharya Yati Vrishabh, the author of Kashaya Pahud. No further information about him is available. It is said that he was a contemporary of King Vikramaditya of Avanti.
[029] MEANING I pay homage to Arya Dharma and to Arya Bhadragupt and then to Arya Vajra who had become diamond-hard (vajra) through virtues like austerity and discipline.
After remaining Acharya for 46 years and leaving behind a well knit family of large number of disciples he died in the year 291 A.N.M. (178 B.V., 235 B.C.).
For the purpose of proper management of the religious order Arya Suhasti made three divisions of the duties and rights resting in the position of Acharya - Ganadhar lineage, Vachak lineage and Yuga-pradhan lineage. It was an important mile stone in the history of the Jain religious organization. This was the first attempt to evolve a management system aimed at envisaging and countering the possible pressures of changing times that are responsible for disintegration of the religious organization.
Arya Ballissaha - Not much information is available about Arya Ballissah of the Kaushik gotra. He was a disciple of Arya Mahagiri and, like him, gave a special stress on practice of pure conduct. After the death of Arya Mahagiri he became the Ganacharya (group chief) of his group.
Recognizing him as the most able scholar of scriptural knowledge, Arya Suhasti made him the Vachanacharya (the head of the scriptural scholars). He made important contribution towards spread of the scriptural knowledge and played a leading role in compiling and editing of the scriptures. The estimated date of his demise is 329 A.N.M. The twenty four year period when Acharya Ballissah was the Vachanacharya was a period of turmoil in Indian history. Acharya Ballissah saw the golden periods of the Maurayan emperors Chandragupta, Bindusar and Samprati, there gradual fall followed by the cruel rule of Pushaymitra Shung. He was a witness to the two best periods in Jain history - the reigns of emperor Samprati and Maha Meghvahan Kharvel of Kalinga.
[026] MEANING - pay homage to Swati of Hareet gotra, Arya Shyama also of the Hareet gotra, and then to Arya Jeetdhar Shandilya of the Kaushik gotra.
COMMENTARY Of the post Suhasti period, various lists of lineage (pattavalis), based on the divisions of duties, are available. These include names of many important Acharyas. Here mainly those Acharyas who belonged to the Vachak-vansh (those who taught the Agams) have been mentioned.
Arya Swati - After Acharya Ballissaha his disciple Arya Swati became the Vachanacharya. He belonged to Hareet gotra. Hardly any information about him is available. The estimated period of his death is between 335-336 A.N.M. (134-133 B.V., 192 B.C.).
Arya Shyama - He was born in a family belonging to Hareet gotra in the year 280 A.N.M. He was initiated into the order by Arya Swati when he was 20 years old. After a thirty five year long period of studies he became the Vachanacharya as well Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra
14 Compiled by- Deepratnasagar