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NandiSootra
themselves to the task of finding all possible ways and means of saving the scriptural knowledge.
Arya Rakshit - He was born in the house of Brahman Somdev, an inhabitant of Dashpur (modern Mandsor) in the state of Malwa in the year 522 A.N.M. (53 V., 4 B.C.). His mother was Jain; that is why when he completed his conventional Vedic education, she inspired him to acquire the knowledge of Jain scriptures.
The Brahman youth Rakshit went to Acharya Toshaliputra and begged him for scriptural knowledge. When Toshaliputra told him that unless he gets initiated in to the order he could not be given scriptural knowledge, strong willed Rakshit at once got initiated and left the town with the Acharya. By acquiring the knowledge of all the eleven Angas in short time Arya Rakshit thoroughly impressed Toshaliputra, who then sent him to Vajra Swami to acquire the knowledge of ten Purvas.
Even Arya Rakshit, a highly talented individual of that age, could only absorb the complete knowledge contained in nine Purvas and just a part of the tenth. After this he returned to Toshaliputra. In the year 544 A.N.M. Toshaliputra made him Acharya and honored him with the status of Yuga-pradhan.
Arya Rakshit became aware of the ongoing process of decline of intellect and capability with the passage of time. He accomplished the task of classifying the scriptural knowledge into four divisions in order to simplify the method of study and revolutionized the process of scriptural learning. Before this classification Agams were taught one at a time and the aphorisms, fundamentals, codes of conduct, examples, areas of practices, rules etc. pertaining to that Agam were taught at the same time.
Arya Rakshit classified the complete contents of all Agams into four Anuyogs. These classifications are Charan-karananuyog (conduct or activity), Dharmakathanuyog (narrative subjects like stories, examples, biographies etc.), Ganitanuyog (mathematics) and Dravyanuyog (fundamentals and substances or metaphysics).
This classification immensely helped the later scholars and commentators. The process of learning scriptures became easier and a new path was shown for preserving the hitherto vanishing scriptural knowledge as much as possible. The Jain tradition will always be indebted to Arya Rakshit for this. Arya Rakshit left for his heavenly abode in the year 597 A.N.M. (128 V., 71 A.D.).
[031] MEANING -I bow my head and pay homage to ascetic Arya Nandil, who was ever indulgent in practices like pursuit of knowledge, purity of perception, observation of austerities and behavior of humbleness. And being free of attachment and aversion, who was always in a blissful state of mind.
COMMENTARY - Arya Nandil - He was an earlier Acharya. He is not listed as Yuga-pradhanacharya. In the lineage of Vachanacharyas Arya Nandil succeeds Arya Mangu (5th century A.N.M.). No historical information about him is available.
[032] MEANING -May the Vachak -lineage of Arya Nagahasti - who was proficient in explicating such subjects as Vyakaran (grammar in general and Prashnavyakaran Sutra in particular), Karan (codes of conduct and related scriptures like Pinda vishuddhi),
Bluing (seven segments of logic split according to varied viewpoints, the segmentation of codes to help memorizing and observation, and the related scriptures), Karma Prakriti (the nature of karma-particles) - beget glory.
Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra
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Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
