Gandharavada

Author(s): Esther A Solomon
Publisher: Gujarat Vidyasabha

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It may be noted that with the exception of the Aigas, the lists and titles of the canonical texts are not always mentioned in the same way. The traditional number of books is mentioned in the Siddhanta, but the number varies in the enumeration at different places.
This śruta (scriptural literature) is classified in various ways, one way of classifying being that the canon is regarded as two-fold (i) Aiga-paviṭṭha (contained in the Aigas) and (ii) Ananga-pavittha (not belonging to the Angas). The angapaviṭṭha suya-nāņa (śruta-juana) has 12 subdivisions, each of which is known as an Aiga. Thus, it is identical with the dvadaśāngi which consists of 12 Angas-Ayāra, etc, and which is often referred to as 'duvalasanga ganipidaga' (dvadasanga ganipitaka) (Samavaya, 148). According to one definition, what is composed by the Ganadharas (leaders of groups, the best disciples, Indrabhuti and others) is Angapaviṭṭha, and what is composed by śruta-sthaviras (i e those well-versed in Thana and Samavaya; cf. Thana 3. 2. 159) is ananga-raviṭṭha. The Avassaya though anaiga-paviṭṭha is regarded as composed by a Ganadhara. We find such a view first in the Avasyaka Niryukti, and then it came to be recognised that even an ananga-paviṭṭha text might have been composed by a Ganadhara. This was later extended to other texts and even to the Purāņas and such other literature which were also stated to have been handed down in substance by the Ganadharas. That the Avasyaka was the first to be regarded as cne composed by a Ganadhara, can be accounted for by the repeated statement that the direct disciples of Lord Mahavira studied the Samaiya (Samayika) and other eleven Angas. Now the Samayika is the first chapter of the Avaśyaka sutra, and if it was placed first in the order of the texts prescribed for study, and even put before the Angas, there could be no opposition to its being claimed as composed by a Ganalhara. This also explains why it was the first anangapavittha text to receive this honour. This Avasyaka sutra has six chapters corresponding to the six Avasyakas i. e. six daily essential duties of a Jaina. The six sections are