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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CODES AND BOOKS ON CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
Conduct and tradition aspects of the two religious may be a nice theme for comparative research. The subject is spread piecemeal in all the Agamas and Tripitakas, but the main text of the Jainas on this subject is Nisiha and that of the Buddhists is Vinaya Pitaka.
The Jaina Āgamas have been divided into four classes as Angas, Upāngas, Mūla Suttas and Cheda Suttas. In the Cheda group, Niśiha is an important text. It has certain special characteristics of its own. Its study is permitted to a monk after three years of initiation provided he is serious. From the standpoint of age, a monk who is 16 is alone permitted to read it(1). Till a monk becomes acquainted with the text of Nisiha, he cannot go to his own folks for begging(2), nor is he considered fit to be a teacher(3). To be the leadingmost among the monks, and to undertake solitary wanderings, the knowledge of Niśiha is very essential(4). Unless a monk is versed in this text, he is not permitted to prescribe atonements to other monks. These should indicate the great importance of this particular text.
Authorship and date of composition -
So runs the traditional belief that all the Āgamas are the sacred words of Bhagavān Mahävira. The compilation of the Anga part of the Agamas is attributed to Sudharmā Svami who was the fifth among the Ganadharas of Mahavira and immediate successor to his spiritual seat. Agamas other than the Angas have been the works by the senior and learned monks. But this does not mean that the latter works have moved apart in any way from the words of the Master. The ideas for all (arthagama) are due to Mahavira, though the actual composition
