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Jaina Agamic Literature
Importance of Right Knowledge
The two aspects of life are thoughts and actions. Thought is the subject of intellect, based on study, contemplation and concentration. Only that thought is valuable which is based on truth. When such truthful thought is practised in life, it results in right conduct. Therefore, the first requirement of an aspirant is the acquisition of right knowledge. Lord Mahāvīra said, “padhamaṁ nāņam tao dayă”, i.e., one who has right knowledge only can pursue the path of right conduct. Such a person will have compassion in heart and strength in mind.
Only that knowledge is true which has been acquired by direct experience. The soul is the source of infinite knowledge but that is obscured by the veil of karmas. When the veil of karmas is removed by austerities and meditation, a person annihilates all the karmas and then the infinite power of soul is manifested. Such souls are called Vitarāga, the perfected souls, who have achieved victory over all conflicts and passions like attachment, aversion and anger. They become Jinas or the conquerors. Definition of Āgama
The divine utterances of such perfected souls is called 'Agama'. The Nyāya-sutra defines the Āgamas as "āptopadeśa śabdah”, i.e., Āgama is that which is told by Apta, i.e., authentic personages. Thus the teachings of Jinas are the Jaina Āgamas. In Jaina tradition, the Jinas shower the nectar of divine words only after obtaining omniscience. Their discourses are constructed in Sūtra form by their prime disciples known as Gañadharas. Such Sūtras are the Agamas, the authentic literature.
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