Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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o Philosophy o Psychology
Fine Arts
Biology o Education O Mathematics
Astrology O Agriculture o Trade and Commerce o Cosmology o Geology
The Title of the Text
It is in the form of questions and answers and popularly known as Bhagavati Sutra, because of the clarifications it reveals. Its original name is Vih yapa ati, Viv hapa ati or Vyakhy prajñapti.
Samav yA ga and Nandi state that the text carries 36,000 answers to the queries put forward by Gautama, the first ga adhara, i.e. principal disciple of Mah vra, and others, and later on revealed by Sudharma Sv mi to Jambu Sv mil. It came to be called Bhagavati because of its importance among the canonical scriptures. Bhagavati means divine and holy and so the original name was substituted by the adjective used to reveal its sacredness.
Structure
Bhagavati Sutra is the most voluminous of all available Agamas. It is divided into 138 atakas (chapters) that are further subdivided into 1923 Udde akas (sub-chapters) containing 15,751 Slokas (verses). We do not come across any commentaries like Niryukti or Bhasya on the Bhagavati Sutra, but only a small Crni besides a Vrtti by Abhayadevasuri, and a few Hindi and Gujarati translations. The language of the Bhagavati Sutra is Ardhamagadhi. In its question-and-answer-style the latent intellectual curiosity of man is reflected. Sri Amarmuni has divided the contents of the Bhagavati Sutra in ten sections:
1. Acara Khanda Ethics 2. Dravya Khanda Metaphysics 3. Siddhanta Khanda Philosophy & Principles 4. Paraloka Khanda Rebirth 5. Bhugola Khanda Geography 6. Khagola Khanda Astronomy, Cosmology 7. Ganita astra Mathematics 8. Garbha astra Genetics 9. Caritra Khanda Biographies 10. Vividha
Miscellaneous
c rya Devendramuni has written an exhaustive foreword of almost 100 pages to the fourth volume of the text published by Agam Prakasan Samiti, Beawar, Rajasthan. The Sailana publication Vol VII carries a list of the contents of the Bhagavati Sutra in an alphabetical order that runs to around 27 pages.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0
