Jain Scripture Agam Part I

 

The teachings of Mahavir, the 24^th tirthankar was methodically compiled by his disciples or ganadharas into many texts. These texts are collectively known as Agams, the sacred book of the Jain religion. In contrast to other religion where they have one Bible or Quran, Mahavir’s disciple Gautama and other ganadharas compiled his words into texts or sutras, divided into 12 Ang-agams. Agam sutras have been written in the Ardha-magadhi Prakrit language. Out of twelve agams, eleven are available to the Swetambar sect. Only one agam called “Drishtivada” is available to the Digambar sect. Drishtivada contains all the 14 purvas which are the texts preached by the 24 tirthankars.

Jain Swetambar community claims to have 45 Agam literatures. They are:

A)      11 Angas –

1)       Acharanga sutra – It describes the conduct and behavior of ascetic life.

2)       Sutrakritanga – It describes the refutation of other religious theories such as, kriyavada, akriyavada, ajnanavada and vinayavada.

3)       Sthananga sutra – It defines and catalogs the main substance.

4)       Samavayanga sutra – It defines and catalogs the main substance of the Jain religion from a different perspective than the Sthananga sutra.

5)       Bhagavati sutra – It explains the knowledge of soul, matter and other related subjects.

6)       Jnata Dharma Kathanga sutra – It explains Jain principles.

7)       Upashaka Dashanga sutra – It explains the code of conduct of the ten shravaks of Lord Mahavir.

8)       Antagada Dashanga (Antakritanga) – It tells the stories of ten sacred monks.

9)       Anuttaropapatika Dashanga sutra – It contains the stories of additional ten sacred monks who attained Anouttara heaven.

10)    Prashna Vyakarana sutra – It describes the five great vows (mahabratas).

11)    Vipaka sutra – It explains the results of good and bad karmas through several stories.

B)       12 Upangas–

1)       Aupapatika – It describes the splendid procession (view) of King Konica when he visited Lord Mahavir. It also explains how a person can attain heaven in the next life.

2)       Rajaprashniya – It describes the story of Monk Keshi, who was the Ganadhara of Lord Parsvanath.

3)       Jivabhigama – It describes the universe and the subtle description of all living beings (souls) of the universe. It gives very important information to the scholars of Biology and Botany.

4)       Prajnapana – It describes the form and attributes of souls from a different perspective.

5)       Suryaprajnapati – It describes the sun, the planets and the associated mathematics regarding their motion.

6)       Chandraprajnapati – It describes the moon, the planets and the associated mathematics regarding their motion. Both of these Upangas 5 & 6 are very important in understanding the astronomy of old times.

7)       Jambudwipaprajnapati - It provides the description of Jambudweep, mentioned in Jain geography and its kings.

8)       Nirayarvali – It describes the story of ten princes who fought with King Chetak of Vaishali in cooperation with King Konica. King Chetaka was the step brother of these princes who all died in this war.

9)       Kalpavatamsika – It describes the story of king Konica’s children. They did not fight with King Chetak in the war. They renounced the world and became monks.

10)    Pushpika – It describes the previous lives of certain devas who worshipped Lord Mahavir.

11)    Pushpachulika – It describes stories similar to those in the Pushpika.

12)    Vrashnidasha – It explains how Lord Neminath convinces ten kings in the Vrashni region to follow Jain religion.

C)       10 Prakirnas

1) Chatuhsharana – It contains prayers to the four benevolent beings.

i  Lord Arihant – God in the form of human being

ii) Lord Siddha – God in the form of pure consciousness

iii) Sadhu – All monks

iv) Dharma – Religion

2) Aaturapratyakhyana – It explains differences in the death of children, youths, adults and old people.

3) Bhaktaparijna – It describes the process of fasting and how one should strive to feel at the time of death.

4) Samstaraka – It describes the process of dying by one’s own desire, popularly known as Santhara.

5) Tandulavaicharika –It describes the state of pregnancy and provides knowledge about human physiology.

6) Chandravedhyaka – It describes the method of concentrated meditation (Dhyan) that one should observe through the description of Radhaveda.

7) Devendrastava – It describes the names, positions and residences of devas who live in heaven. It also provides a description of the moon, sun, planets and stars.

8) Ganitavidya – It describes palmistry and how it is used to predict the future.

9) Mahapratyakhyana – It explains how to completely give up the worst sins and how to repent these sins.

10) Virastava – It is considered to be lost. However, it appears from literature referring that it contained prayers of Lord Mahavir.

D) 6 Chhed sutra –

1) Nishitha – It explains the procedure of repentance (prayashchitta).

2) Mahanishitha – It explains prayashchitta for monks and nuns.

3) Vyavahara – It describes the system of confession

4) Dashashrutaskandha (Acharadasha)

       i) Places of Asamadhi

      ii) Powerful faults bringing weakness in conduct

     iii) Ashatanas of Gurus

     iv) Sampadas of Acharyas and their kinds

5) Brhat Kalpa – It explains the conduct for monks and nuns.

6) Jitakalpa or Panchakalpa – This sutra explains the daily obligatory rituals of the monks and nuns.

E) 4 Mool sutra –

1) Uttaradhyayan sutra

2) Avasyak sutra

3) Dashvaikalika sutra

4) Pakshik sutra or Pinda Niryukti

F) 2 Chulika Sutra –

1) Nandisutra – It contains an elaborate description of Tirthankaras, Ganadharas and five types of knowledge (Jnan): Mati, Shrut, Avadhi, Manaparyay, and Keval-jnan.

2) Anuyogadvara – It provides the description of many rights regarding the mode of preaching.

The two main texts of Digambar Jains are Shatkhandagama and Kasayapahuda. Shatkhandagama means an agam divided into six parts. They are: 1. Jivasthana, 2. Kshudrakabandha, 3. Bandhasvamitva, 4. Vedana, 5. Vargena, 6. Mahabandha. Shatkhandagama emphasizes on the philosophy of Karma. The first three part discusses the philosophy of karma from the perspective of soul, and last three part discusses the extent of the philosophy.

Kasayapahuda is written around the same time as Shatkhandagama. It discusses the philosophy of kasaya (the material world). Four anuyogas are: Pratham-anuyoga, Carnanuyoga, Karmanuyoga and Dravyanuyoga.