________________
XXV
damage to the scriptures due to famines, it may be stated that though this at all times and alone be not the cause, it can not be controverted however that Jainism from the days of its founder Mahavira himself, suffered from internal dissensions, schisms and rival doctrines. The divisions of the Jainism into S'vetambaras and Digambaras (79 or 82 A. D.)93 finally dealt a fatal blow to the being of scriptures.
Thus the scriptures, that we have, have much of the old material incorporated in them but during the vicissitudes, they passed through, they suffered much in regard to language and also texts. The Jain Canon as we have it today has not suffered much after its formulation by Devardhi-ganin. Of Course, we come across in the cowmentary of Silanka on सुयगड II 2, 2 नागार्जुनीयास्तु पठन्ति । that there existed also a redaction of the school of Nagarjuna a contemporary of Skandila, 24 which had its Own recension of the scriptures. However, one may surmise, the text of Devardhi-ganin accepted as an official text of S'vetambaras led all the former texts into disuse and oblivion.
23. See Charpentier P. 15.
24. See Charpentier. P. 52-53. See, P. 116. foot-note where he gives all ref. of a in Comm.