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Editorial
Introduction to the work
The Āgama Sūtras have two main divisions, i.e. the Anga-Pravişta and the Anga-Váhya. The Anga-Pravişta Sūtras are considered to be the nearest to the original and most authentic of all as they are composed by the principal diciples of Lord Mahāvira. They are twelve in number: 1. Achārānga, 2. Sūtrakstānga, 3. Sthānānga, 4. Samawāyānga, 5. Vyākhyā-Prajñapti, 6. Jñata Dharma-Kathā, 7. Upāsaka-Daśā, 8. Anta-krita-Daśā, 9. Anuttaropapätika Daśā, 10. Praśna-Vyakarana, 11. Vipäka-Śruta, 12. Dţiştiwäda. The twelfth Anga is, at present, not available.
The eleven Angas, which are available, are being published in three volumes under the title of Anga-Suttani. The first volume has four Angas, i.e, 1. Āchärānga, 2. Sūtrakṣitānga, 3. Sthānānga and 4. Samawāyanga. The second volume contains only the 'Vyākhyā Prajña pti' and the third contains the rest six Angas.
The present work is the second volume of the Anga-Suttāni. It has the original text of the Vyākhyā-Prajñapti with its recentions. A brief preface has been added in the beginning. An elaborate preface and the word-index have not been added to it. It is planned to publish them in two independent volumes. Accordingly, the fourth volume will contain an elaborate preface to the eleven Angas and the fifth one will contain the word index thereof. The present text and the method of editing
The text of the present Āgama has been redeemed on the basis of the seven manuscripts (two being palm-leaf manuscripts) and vșitties (commentaries). According to the method of text rcdemption in vouge, we do not proceed on the basis of regarding only one manuscript as main, but redeem the original text with the help of Artha-mīmānsā (critical meaning), former and later contexts, preceding text (Poorwa-Pātha) and the text of other Agama-Sutras and the explanation in the Vșitti (commentary). The original commentary of the Bhagwati is extinct at present. The chūrņi (commentary) was available but we could not get it. We have made use of the original Tīka and churņi portions quoted by Abhayadeva Süri in his vritti. The scribes, from time to time have abridged the text. Many forms
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