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And twenty years after this event, the death of Rev. Sudharmāsvāmī, a gaṇadhara (=a direct principal disciple of Lord Mahāvīra), occurred. Thus the author of this Avaśyakasūtra is neither a Tīrthankara nor a ganadharu. The work is counted among arigubüh yu works. And Umāsvāti has mentioned argubāhya śruta ( = scriptures other than ariga works) in his Tattvārtha-Bhäsya. Taking this into consideration we can safely say that Avaśyaka-sūtra has been composed by some highly intelligent and wise ācārya (a spiritual leader). While illustrating arigabāhya scriptures, Umāsvati mentions Daśavaikālika aster six āvasyakas, viz. Sāmāyika etc. The author of Daśavaikälika is Ac. Sayyambhava who flourished alter Rev. Sudharmāsvāmī, a gunudhara. Therefore, Avaśyaka-sūtra should have been a work of some ācārya and it can safely be assigned to the period round about the beginning of the 5th century B.C.
356 B.C. is believed to be the year of Ac. Bhadrabāhu's death. For the first time he wrote a commentary on Avaśyakasūtra. This commentary is known by the term 'Niryukti'. So, the whole Āvaśyakasūtra should have been a work of some śrutudharu (knower of scriptures) who was either his predecessor or his contemporary. Thus, Āvaśyakasūtra must belong 10 the period between 5th century B.C. and the first quarter of 4th century B.C.
There rages a controversy regarding its author. Is it a work by one ācārya or is it a compilation of works by disserent līcāryus ? Noteworthy is the point thai Ac. Bhadrabāhu has mentioned Sayyambhavasūri, the author of Daśavaikalika, but has not mentioned the author of Avaśyakasūtra. While writing the Niryukti Ac. Bhadrabāhu enumerates ten Agamas on which, he declares, he would certainly write Niryuktis. In this enumeration Avaśyaka is placed before Daśavaikālika. If we consider that the order of this enumeration follows the chronological order, then the author of Avasyaksūtra should have been some great sthaviru (elder monk) who is either a predecessor or a contemporary of Sayyambhavasūri.
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