• Agam or Canonical Literature (Agam Sutras):Agam literature consists of many texts, which are the sacred books of the Jain religion. They are written in the Ardha-magadhi Prakrit language.

• Non-Agam Literature:Non-agam literature consists of commentary and explanation of Agam literature, and independent works, compiled by ascetics and scholars. They are written in many languages such as Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsa, Old Marathi, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannad, Tamil, German, and English.

Background:

Lord Mahavir's preaching were orally and methodically compiled by his immediate disciples, known as the Gandharas, and elder monks known as Srut-kevalis, into many texts (scriptures). These scriptures are known as Jain Agam or Agam Sutras., the sacred books of the Jain religion. Hence, the Jain religion does not have one sacred book, like the Bible or the Koran, but it has many books compiled by Gandharas and Srut-kevalis during the 150 years after Lord Mahavir's nirvan (death). The Agam Sutras teach great reverence for all forms of life, strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, compassion, nonviolence, and opposition to war. In olden times, Jain ascetics believe that the religious books and scriptures are possessions and attachments. Therefore the scriptures were not documented in any form but were memorized by ascetics and passed on by oral tradition to future generations of ascetics. The memorized sutras were divided into two major groups:

• Ang Agams (or Ang Pravista Agams): Ang Agam sutras contain direct preaching of Lord Mahavir. They consist of 12 texts that were originally compiled by immediate disciples of Lord Mahavir known as Ganadhars. Collectively these Sutras are known as Dwädashängi. They were compiled immediately after Lord Mahavir's nirvana (death). The twelfth text is called Drstiwad, which includes 14 Purvas. The foremost of these Angas is Ächäräng Sutra. Other well-known Angas are Sutrakrutäng, Samaväyäng, Sthänäng and Vyäkhyä Prajnapti or Bhagawati Sutra.

• Angbahya Agams (outside of Ang Agams): Angbayha Agam sutras provide further explanation of Ang Agam sutras. They were originally compiled by Shrut Kevali monks, who possessed total knowledge of the soul by studying 12 Ang Agams. They consist of 14 texts according to the Digambar sect, 34 texts according to the Swetambar Murtipujak sect, and 21 texts according to the Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi sects. They were compiled within 160 years after Lord Mahavir’s nirvana. They are sub-classified into Upängs, Mul Sutras, Chheda Sutras, Chulika, and Prakirna Sutras. Dashä Vaikälika, Uttarädhyayan and Ävashyaka are the most well known Sutras belonging to this category.

In the course of time, it became extremely difficult to keep memorizing the entire Jain literature (Agam sutras - scriptures, Commentary literature, and Independent works) compiled by the many scholars.

About 160 years after the Lord’s nirvana, when Bhadrabähuswami was the head of the religious order and the Nand dynasty was ruling over Magadh region. Pataliputra, the capital city, became the center of learning and knowledge.

At that time, there occurred a twelve years of famine (around 350 BC). During that period of shortage and scarcity, it was hard for Jain monks to observe the code of conduct of religion. Bhadrabähuswami therefore decided to migrate to the south along with many followers. Under such circumstances they could not preserve the entire canonical literature.

A convention was therefore called at Patliputra, under the leadership of Acharya Sthulibhadra, after the famine. That convention prepared a uniform version of all the Ägams. In Jain tradition, this is know as the first Vächanä of Ägams.

Later, when the Jain congregation relaxed the vow of non possession with regards to religious scriptures for ascetics, they had already forgotten much of the oldest canonical literature such as twelfth Ang-agam known as Drastiwad, which included fourteen Purvas. The rest of agams were polluted with some modifications and errors.

About one thousand years after Lord Mahavir’s nirvana the memorized Agam Sutras and their commentaries were recorded on leafy papers (Tadpatris).

Swetambar Jains have accepted the recorded Agam Sutras (11 Ang Agams and all Angbayha Sutras) as an authentic version of Lord Mahavir's teachings, while Digambar Jains have not. They concluded that after the famine, the entire Jain canonical literature (Ang and Angbayha Agam Sutras) became extinct. In the absence of authentic Agam sutras, Digambars follow Shatkhand Agam and Kasay Pahud as their main texts and four Anuyogs (which includes about 20 texts) written by great ascetics from 100 to 900 AD as their basis to follow and practice the Jain religion.

Jain history indicates that during the course of time, Swetambar ascetics held three conferences for the preservation of the Jain canonical literature, commentaries, and non-canonical literature. No documentation occurred during the first conference but during the second and third conferences most of the scriptures, commentaries, and other works were documented.

1. Patliputra Conference - around 320 BC
2. Mathura and Valabhi Conferences - around 380 AD
3. Valabhi Conference - around 520 AD

Lord Mahavir's immediate disciples were known as Ganadharas. All Ganadharas possessed perfect knowledge (keval jnan) and attained liberation at the end of their human life. They orally compiled the direct preaching of Lord Mahavir into twelve main texts (sutras). These texts are known as Ang agams. Hence the Ang agams are the oldest religious scriptures and the backbone of Jain literature.

The twelfth Ang agam is called Drastivad. The Drastivad consists of fourteen Purva texts, also known as Purvas or Purva agams. Among Ang agams, Purvas were the oldest sacred texts. All Jain sects believe that knowledge of the Purvas (Drastivad) was gradually lost starting about one hundred fifty years after Lord Mahavir's nirvan (death). However, other Jain scriptures and literature reference the subject matter of the Purvas.

The Digambar Jain sect also believes that the other remaining eleven Ang agams were gradually lost. All Swetambar Jains believe that the eleven Ang agams were remembered by their ascetics and were properly documented by them during the last two conferences that were held in Mathura and Valabhi around one thousand years after Lord Mahavir's nirvan.

Present Status of Ang Agams:

The Digambar sect believes that all Ang-bahya-agams were also gradually lost starting about two hundred years after Lord Mahavir's Nirvan. Hence in its opinion, the complete Jain agam literature is lost within few hundred years after Lord Mahavir's nirvan.

Present Status of Ang-bahya Agams:

The Swetambar sect has divided Ang bahya agams into the following categories:

• Upang sutras:The scriptures which provide further explanation of Ang-agams.
• Chhed sutras:The subject matters described in Chhed sutras are only for ascetics not for lay people. They relate to the conduct and behavior of monks and nuns. They also explain how they can repent for their sins and mistakes.
• Mool sutras: The scriptures which are essential for ascetics to study in the earlier stages of their monkhood.
• Chulika sutras: The scriptures which further enhance or decorate the meaning of Ang agams.
• Prakirna sutras: The scriptures which describe independent or miscellaneous subjects of the Jain religion.

The following is the list of number of Ang bahya Agams recognized as authentic scriptures by different Jain Swetambar Sects:

Digambar Literature:

The Digambar sect believes that there were 26 Agam sutras (12 Ang agams + 14 Ang bahya agams). However, they were gradually lost starting from one hundred fifty years after Lord Mahavir's nirvana. Hence, they do not recognize the existing Agam-sutras (which are recognized by the Swetambar sects) as their authentic scriptures.

In the absence of authentic scriptures, Digambars follow two main texts, three commentaries on main texts, and four Anuyogs consisting of more than 20 texts as the basis for their religious philosophy and practices. These scriptures were written by great Acharyas (scholars) from 100 to 1000 AD. They have used the original Agam Sutras as the basis for their work.

The Shatkhand agam is also known as Maha kammapayadi pahuda or Maha karma prabhrut. Two Acharyas; Pushpadant and Bhutabali around 160 AD wrote it. The second Purva agam named Agraya niya was used as the basis for this text. The text contains six volumes. Acharya Virsen wrote two commentary texts, known as Dhaval tika on the first five volumes and Maha dhaval tika on the sixth volume of this scripture, around 780 AD.

Acharya Gunadhara wrote the Kasay-pahud. The fifth Purva agam named Jnan pravad was used as a basis for this scripture. Acharya Virsen and his disciple, Jinsen, wrote a commentary text known as Jaya dhaval tika around 780 AD.

Four Anuyogas:

1. Pratham anuyoga (Dharma kath anuyoga) - Religious Stories:This anuyoga consists of the following texts, which contain religious stories, art, literature, history, poetry, and like literature.

2. Charn anuyoga - Conduct:This anuyoga consists of the following texts, which contain principles of observances, conduct, behavior, and like literature.

3. Karan anuyoga (Ganit anuyog) - Mathematics:This anuyoga expounded the texts, which had mathematical viewpoints. It consists of the following texts, which contain geography, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, and like literature.

4. Dravy anuyog - Philosophy:This anuyoga consists of the following texts, which contain philosophical doctrine, theories, metaphysics, Tattvajnan, and like literature.

Summary:

The Jain literature, which was compiled by Ganadharas and Srut-kevlis, is known as Agam literature. These texts are the Holy Scriptures of the Jain religion. The Agam Sutras show great reverence for all forms of life and strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, nonviolence, and opposition to war. The existing Agam Sutras are accepted as the authentic preaching of Lord Mahavir by the Swetambar sects, but the Digambar sect does not accept them as authentic. Digambars follow two main text and four Anuyogs written by great Acharyas (scholars) from 100 to 1000 AD as the basis for their religious philosophy and practices. The Jain literature, which is not classified as Agam Sutras, is known as non agam literature.

List of 45 Jain Agams

Summary of Digambar and Swetambar Agams