________________
'Samāyika' were considered to be angabāhya and regarded as independent works, that is, not forming a part of some other work. But in the age of the composition of the Anuyogad vārasūtra they were already accepted as forming a part of the Āvašyakaśrutaskandha. It is so because the Anuyogadvārasūtra regards the Avaśyakaśrutaskandha as an independent work and 'Sāmāyika' etc. as its six chapters. .
In the Sthānānga (Sū.71), the Nandi (Sa.80) and the Anuyogadvāra (Sa 5) the angabāhya works are classified into āvašyka andāvasyakavyatirikta. The reason behind this classification seems to be the same fact that the Āvašyaka is not based on the preachings of Lord Mabăvira as other angabāhya works are. The Avaśvaka is prior to Lord Mehāvira because according to the tradition he, having salnted the Siddhas (Liberated Souls), accepted it. Thus the 'Sanāyika' which has been included in the Avaśyakasutra, is even anterior to the teachings of Lord Mahāvira. All the means to know the nature which the Sāmāyika had in the days of Lord Mahavira or even before him are not available to us. But this much is certain that it was prevalent even in the days prior to Lord Mahavira. Hence it is quite natural that it has been accorded some special place in the Jaina tradition. This is the reason why from all other Agamas it was taken up first for exposition and why it was explained in such a manner that even other Sastras become easy to understand, Anthorship of the Avasyakasūtra :
In the introduction to the Gañadharavāda I have extensively discu. ssed the traditional view that the author of the meaning of the Avasyakasutra is Tirthankara while the author of the words embodying the meaning is Gañadhara. I have referred to another view also, according to which Avaśyakasūtra being an angabahya work should be regarded as a work by a Sthavira. This view too is based on the tradition which de lares that it is only Angas that are composed by gañadharas wbile the angabāhya works are composed by Sthaviras. 18 According to the Viseşāvaśyakabhāşya and the Avaśyakaniryukti the meaning contained in the Avaśyakasūtra is preached by a Tirthankara while it is put into writing by Ganandharas."
Authorship of the Avasyakaniryukti : The oldest commentary on the Āvaśyakasutra is Niryukti. 15 And the present Viseşāvasya kabhāsya is 12. " avassayan nam no angam, no angāim, suyakbardho, no suyakbandhā; no ajjhaya
nam, ajjhayaņāim; no uddeso, no uddesā”- Apuyogadvāra Su 6 (Mahavir Jain Vidya
laya Ed. ). 13. Introduction to Ganadharavāda, pp. 8-12 14. gāthas 913–944, 976, 977, 1077, 1091–1098, 1544 etc. 15. For Niryuktis and their chronological order one may refer to my Introduction to Gana
dharavāda. p. 12€
