Painnay suttai Part 1

Author(s): Punyavijay, Amrutlal Bhojak
Publisher: Mahavir Jain Vidyalay

Page 72

'A NOTE ON JAINA ĀGAMAS
Late Agamaprabhākara Muni Sri Punyavijayaji
The Jaina Agama : Like the Vedic and the Buddhist literature, the Jaina Āgama literature is also classified into various divisions and sub-divisions. In olden days, the Jaina Āgamas were classified into either Anga Agama and Angabāhya Agama or Kālika Āgama and Utkālika Āgama. Those that are composed by the principal direct disciples of Lord Mahāvīra are regarded as Anga Āgama. And those that are composed by Lord Mahāvīra's other gītārtha elder monks, disciples, grand disciples and the elder monks who flourished in their lineage are regarded as Angabāhya Agama. The elder Jaina monks have again classified the Angabāhya Āgamas into Kalika and Utkalika. Those Angabāhya Āgamas that are studied at specific time are described as Kālika Āgama, while those Angabāhya Ādamas that are studied at any time are described as Utkālika Agama. The main divisions of the Āgamas, that have been conventionally established for centuries, are: the Anga, the Upanga, the Cheda, the Müla Agama, the Seşa Agama and the Prakırnaka. In ancient times, these Āgamas were 84 in number according to the Nandīsūtra and the Pākṣikasūtra, whereas to-day they are 45 in number. Of the Āgamas whose names are mentioned in the Nandisūtra and the Pāksikasūtra, many are not extant today whereas new names have been introduced in the list of works regarded as Āgamas at present—these newly introduced names refer to works composed very late, some even belong to the first quarter of the eleventh century. Of the names of 45 works regarded as Āgamas to-day, 42 names are available in the Nandisūtra and the Pākṣikasūtra, but the order prevalent today of the names of the Āgamas except the Angas is not the same as is found in the Vandisūtra and the Pākṣikasūtra. The author of the Nandīsūtra has included all the Āgamas except the Anga Āgamas in the group of Prakirņakas. The fact that of the divisions of the Agamas, viz. the Anga, the Upanga, the Cheda and the Prakīrnaka, the Anga division consists of 12 Anga works is corroborated by the Anga works themselves. At present the Upangas are considered to be 12 in number but the Nirayāvalikā upanga itself mentions five
1. This is an extract from a speech written by Muni Shri Punyavijayaji
as President of Prakrit and Jainism Section, All India Oriental Conference held at Shrinagar, Kashmir, 14-16 October, 1961. He could not go to Shrinagar to deliver this presidential address but he sent it to be read before · scholars. The complete speech is included in the Iñānāñjali' (pp. 44-47), Muni Punyavijayaji Felicitation Volume, published by the Sāgaragaccha Upāshraya, Vadodara.