Jain Agam Literature

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 3

Swetambar Jains believe that the eleven Ang-agams were remembered by their ascetics and were properly documented by them during the last two conferences that were held in Mathura and Valabhi around one thousand years after Lord Mahavir's nirvan.
Ang-bahya-agams (outside of Ang-agams):
Monks who had knowledge of a minimum of ten Purvas were known as Srut-kevlis. They possessed the total knowledge of reality (soul, matter, their relationship etc.) through scriptures. The Srut-kevlis wrote many texts (sutras) expanding the subject matter of the Ang-agams. Collectively these texts are called Ang-bahya-agams meaning outside of Ang-agams.
The different Jain sects accept different numbers of Ang-bahya texts. Present Status of Ang-bahya-agams;
Jain Sect
Total Ang-bahya Agams Recognized
Number of Angbahya Agams Lost
Number of Ang-bahya Agams Survived
14
14
Digambar Swetambar Murtipujak Swetambar Sthanakvasi Swetambar Terapanthi
The Digambar sect believes that all Ang-bahya-agams were also gradually lost starting about two hundred years after Lord Mahavir's Nirvan. Hence in its opinion, the complete Jain agam literature is lost within few hundred years after Lord Mahavir's nirvan.
Classification of Ang-bahya-agams:
The Swetambar sect has divided Ang-bahya-agams into the following categories:
Upang-sutras or Upang-agams:
The scriptures, which provide further explanation of Ang-agams, are called Upang-agams.
Chhed-sutras or Chhed-agams:
The subject matters described in Chhed-sutras are only for ascetics not for lay people. They relate to the conduct and behavior of monks and nuns. They also explain how they can repent for their sins and mistakes.
Mool-sutras:
The scriptures, which are essential for ascetics to study in the earlier stages of their monkhood, are called Mool-sutras.
Chulika-sutras:
The scriptures, which further enhance or decorate the meaning of Ang-agams are known as Chulika-sutras.
Prakirna-sutras:
The scriptures, which describe independent or miscellaneous subjects of the Jain religion, are known as Prakirna-sutras.