Nandisutt and Anuogaddaraim

Author(s): Devvachak, Aryarakshit, Punyavijay, Dalsukh Malvania, Amrutlal Bhojak
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 160

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Śrutapuruşa * The fundamental class of the Āgamas is known as Anga. This points to an old tradition of classifying Agamas. To explain Creation the Vedic tradition has posited a purusa and the four classes-the Brāhmana, etc.—are viewed as parts of his body. The Jaina tradition too has posited a World-Man (Loka-purusa) and on the basis of this Concept of World-Man it divides the whole universe into various parts. Similarly, a Vidya-puruşa or Śrutapurusa has been posited here and the various faculties of knowledge are viewed as parts and sub-parts of his body. The same tradition has been reflected in the conception of a Kavya-purusa. In the Vedic literature we come across the idea of the parts of the body of) Vidya. Similarly, in the Jaina scriptural writings we come across the idea of the parts and sub-parts (of the body of the śruta). It is clear that just as in the system of human body parts serve as the basis of sub-parts even so in the Agamas the Angas serve as the basis of the Upangas. Thus in the whole of the Āgama literature the place of the Angas is higher than that of the remaining works. Not only that, they constitute the fundamental Agamas and it is on the basis of them that the other Agamas like the Upangas, etc.--the current term for which is angabahya-have been composed. Thus the term 'anga' applied to the fundamental Agamas—fundamental because they are composed by the direct pupils of the Tirthankara after having heard his succinct preachings of the principles-suggests their importance as well as their originality.
Sources of the Angas As we have seen, the teachings of Lord Mahāvīra constitute the main source of the Anga literature. But we should ponder over the question as to whether the principles preached by Lord Mahāvīra were his own discovery or they were preached by him on the basis of the data acquired through a current tradition. Like Buddha, Lord
जुज्जइ च विभागाओ तिण्ह वि भिन्नत्थया न चेहरहा। एगत्थाणं पि पुणो किमिहेगत्थाभिहाणेहिं ॥१३७१।। मउलं फलं ति जहा संकोय-विबोहमेत्तभिन्नाई। अत्येणाभिन्नाई कमलं सामण्णओ चेगं ॥१३७२॥ अविवरियं तह सुत्तं विवरियमत्थो ति बोहकालम्मि । किंचिम्मत्तविभिन्ना सामन्नं पवयणं नेयं ॥१३७३ ॥ सामन्न-विसेसाणं जह वेगा-ऽणेगया ववत्थाए । तदुभयमत्यो य जहा वीसुं बहुपज्जवा ते य ॥१३७४ ।। एवं सुत्त-ऽत्थाणं एगा-उणेगठ्ठया ववत्थाए । पवयणमुभयं च तयं तियं च बहुपज्जयं वीरां ॥ १३७५ ॥