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80 : Scientific Contents in Prāksta Canons
(iii) Sūtrakrtānga may have followed 64 tradition of Vedic system probably overlooked by other authors.
(iv) A large number of non-sacred learnings of Sūtrakrtānga are included in 72 practical arts of Samavāyānga and other canons, not included in non-sacred classification there. This seems to be a duplication. These arts are also included as a separate category in Sthānānga in addition to a category of worldly learnings seemingly again to be a duplication as the latter involves these arts. They should have been included in the non-sacred learnings.
(v) The commentators of Uttarādhyayana and Āvasyakaniryukti have attempted to make the Samavāyānga list as much equivalent to the Sthānānga as possible. It does, however, not supersede the all inclusive specialities of this classification.
(vi) Chronologically, Muni Nathamale opines that Samavāyānga list seems to be the oldest. Others have followed it and modified it.
This list is also given in Anuyogadvāra and Nandi under different names. These, composed later, might represent another improvement over the early canonical texts. The comparative list and its branchwise classification is given in Table 4. These texts seem to harmonise the intercanonical discrepancies by assuming two ways of classifying non-sacred learnings. The first method is very general : (i) Vedic studies and (ii) 72 practical arts. This seems to be very reasonable. The second method is specific in mentioning names of books, systems and many practical arts. The second method has been tabulated in Table 4. The 72 arts will be classified later in Table
5.
It is seen in Table 4 that the trend set in Bhagavati stands changed in Sūtrakrtānga and other canons. The Vedic and religious studies are nowhere there. However, they have been substituted by two important popular subjects : (a)
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