Jain Digest 2007 11 1

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 16

JAIN DIGEST-Winter 2007
There are several Ägam Mandirs including the popular ones in assembled to established order to it. In the first recension Mehsana, Surat, Shankheshwar and Pune. documentation was lacking but in the second and third recensions, most of the scriptures were revised and documented. First Vächanä in Pataliputra (First Recension) The Order of the Jain monks assembled in Patliputra after a terrible and long famine, approximately 160 years after Lord Mahavir's Nirvän. At that time, the middle region of the country (Madhyadesh) which was under the sway of this severe famine, caused dispersion of the Jain monks in various directions. Naturally, the Ägams fell into a bad state. After the famine, the monks collected and arranged eleven of the twelve Angas. The Jain community requested Ächärya Schulibhadral to go to Bhadrabähu to learn the text of the missing twelfth Anga Ägam (Drashtiväda), which contained fourteen PurvaSutras. After his death, the knowledge of eleven Angas and only ten Purvas remained during the first revision. Second Vächanä in Vallabhipur and Mathura (Second Recension)
A National committee for celebration of 2600 years of Tirthankar Mahavir Janam Kalayanak headed by the Prime Minister of India in its meeting held on 9th December 2000 had taken a decision to prepare a National Register of Jain Manuscripts. It was decided in the meeting to focus at the following three activities:
1. Holdings of Jain Manuscripts.
2. Preparation of National register of Jain Manuscripts. 3. Promotion of Jain and Prakrit Studies
Libraries outside India
The Welcome Library in London preserves some 2,000 Jain manuscripts, the largest collection outside India. The British Library owns a collection of about 700 Jain manuscripts. Represented here are a choice of works in Sanskrit, Old Gujarati and Prakrit. There are also an abundance of hymns and prayers.
Jain Literature
Compiled by Guest Editorial Team "Having climbed the tree of perfect knowledge, an omniscient Lord Tirthankar offers enlightenment to the principal disciples (Ganadhars)," says a Jain scripture. Jains have scriptures called Ägams (Jain Shruta). The Gandhars are said to have first composed fourteen Purvas and later on compiled them into Dwädashängi (twelve Anga-Pravishtha-Ägams). Other canonical literature (Anga-Bähya-Ägams) that were composed by Sthavirs or elder monks are also included as part of the Jain Ägams. The Ägams serve the specific purpose of showing the reader the path of everlasting happiness and liberation. The Ägams teach the eternal truth about conduct, equanimity, friendship, the principle of relativity and many spiritual matters including having great reverence for all forms of life, soul, Karma, universe, codes of asceticism, rules for householders, compassion, nonviolence, and non-possessiveness. The Jain Ägams consist of 14 Purvas, 12 Anga-Pravishtha-Ägams and Anga-Bähya-Ägams (34 for Shvetämbar Murtipujak, 21 for Shvetämbar Sthänakaväsi and 14 for Digambar). Consistent with Shvetämbar Murtipujak beliefs, 45 Ägams are found in three Ägam temples in Palitana, Surat and Shankheswar. There are several Gnän-Mandirs in Amdavad, Patan, Surat, Khambhat, Jesalmer, Pindvada, Mehsana, Ratalam, Ahor, Tharad, Guda, and Surendranagar where all Ägams are also available. Jains believe Ägams existed in the past, still exist are in the present time, and will always exist in the future. They are eternal, firm, non-destructible and everlasting. Vächanä (Recensions)
With a view to establish order in the preaching of Lord Mahavir, Jain Ächaryas assembled on three occasions and prepared three recensions (revisions) of the preaching. When the Acharyas saw that the Shruta was waning and there was chaos, they
Tabakale
Approximately 827 to 840 years after Mahavir Nirvan and after twelve-year long famine, the monks assembled in Mathura under the leadership of Äryä Skandil to collect and arrange the Kälik Shruta based on what they could recall and recite. revised the Agams, also known as the Nägärjun Vachan. Concurrently, Ächarya Nägärjun at Vallabhi (Saurashtra)
Third Vächanä in Vallabhipur (Third Recension) - Penning Down of Ägams by Devardhi-gani Kshama-Shraman Devardhi-gani lead the third revision at Vallabhipur to document all available Prakirna Sutras, preserve the Anga, to bring uniformity in Sutras and to resolve the differences. The most important differences were documented in Churnis and Tikäs. This task was accomplished 980 years after Mahävir's Nirvän. This was the last revision that is currently available.'
Commentaries on the Ägams
The commentaries on the Ägams have been written in Präkrut and Sanskrit. Those written in Präkrut are known as Niryukti and Bhasya (verse format), and Churni in prose format. Bhadrabähu II had composed all the present Niryuktis. He flourished in the fifth or sixth century V.S. In his Niryuktis, he has conducted philosophical discussions in an attractive style. He laid a firm foundation of the Jain philosophy by writing on the subjects of Pramana, Naya, and Nikshepa. One should study the Bhäsyas, written during the seventh century by Samghadas-gani and Jinabhadra for a full discussion on any particular subject. The Churnis were written by Jindas Mahattar during seventh or the eighth century. Ächarya Haribhadra wrote between 757 V.S and 857 V.S. Sanskrit versions of the Prakrut Churnis. In the tenth century, Shilänk-Suri and SantyaÄchärya wrote Sanskrit version. Well known commentator Abhaydev, wrote Sanskrit commentaries on nine Angas, during 1072 to 1134 V.S. (The era in the Indian calendar called the Vikram Era, or the Vikram Samvat, began in 57 BCE. The Vikram Era is ascribed to King Vikram, also known as