Agam 35 Chhed 02 Bruhatkalpa Sutra Shwetambar Agam Guna Manjusha

This document appears to be a table of contents and partial introduction to the Brihatkalpa Sutra, a significant text within the Shvetambar Jain canon. The provided pages offer a glimpse into the structure and content of the Jain Agamas (scriptures) and then delve specifically into the Brihatkalpa Sutra.

Here's a comprehensive summary based on the provided pages:

I. Overview of Jain Agamas (Pages 2-7):

The document begins with an introduction to the 45 Jain Agamas, categorizing them into major sections:

• Eleven Anga Sutras (Pages 2-3): These are considered the primary scriptures. The document briefly describes each of the eleven Angas, highlighting their main themes, number of chapters (adhyayan), and approximate verse counts:

  • Achārānga Sutra: Focuses on the conduct of monks and householders.
  • Sūtra Kṛtānga Sutra: Discusses various philosophical viewpoints (activists, non-activists, agnostics) and is rich in entity-based discussions.
  • Sthānānga Sutra: Deals with calculation and enumerates items from one to ten.
  • Samavāyānga Sutra: Similar to Sthānānga, it enumerates objects from one to hundreds, thousands, and even crores.
  • Vyākhyā Prajñapti Sutra (Bhagavati Sutra): The largest Agama, a treasure trove of knowledge, containing questions posed to Lord Mahavira by Gautama Ganadhara. It covers all four categories of knowledge (anuyogas).
  • Jñātā Dharma Kathānga Sutra: Focuses on religious discourses and narratives.
  • Upāsaka Daśānga Sutra: Describes the twelve vows and the lives of ten great lay devotees (upasaka).
  • Antakṛd Daśānga Sutra: Narrates the stories of souls who achieved liberation through asceticism.
  • Anuttaropapātika Daśānga Sutra: Relates the lives of great lay devotees who attained celestial status and then liberation.
  • Praśna Vyākaraṇa Sutra: Contains answers to questions asked by various beings, focusing on conduct and self-control.
  • Vipāka Sutra: Details the consequences of actions, with examples of sinful and virtuous souls.

• Twelve Upānga Sutras (Pages 3-4): These are considered secondary scriptures, elaborating on the Angas. Examples include:

  • Oupapātika Sutra: An Upānga of Achārānga, describing a city, austerities, and disciples.
  • Rājaprasenīya Sutra: An Upānga of Sūtra Kṛtānga, depicting a king's jurisdiction and worship.
  • Jīvabhigama Sutra: An Upānga of Sthānānga, analyzing the self and non-self.
  • Pannāvaṇā Sutra: An Upānga of Samavāyānga, describing 36 steps or topics.
  • Sūrya Prajñapti Sutra & Chandra Prajñapti Sutra: Focus on astronomical calculations, the movements of celestial bodies, and time.
  • Jambudvipa Prajñapti Sutra: Describes the Jambu continent in detail.
  • Nirayāvali Sutra, Kalpavataṁsaka Sutra, Puṣpiya Upānga Sutra, Puṣpachuḷikā Upānga Sutra, and Vṛṣṇidaśā Upānga Sutra: These five are collectively known as the Nirayāvali Pañcaka, detailing various life stories and events.

• Ten Payanna Sutras (Pages 4-6): These are supplementary texts. Some of the mentioned ones include:

  • Āturapratyākhyāna Sutra: Focuses on final practices and improving one's death.
  • Bhakta Parinyā Sutra: Describes different types of death.
  • Santhāraka Sutra: Extols the practice of Santhāra (voluntary fasting unto death).
  • Taṇḍula Vaiyālika Sutra: Considered an ocean of detachment.
  • Candavijaya Sutra: Deals with practices that improve one's death.
  • Devendra-sthuti Sutra: Describes hymns sung by Indra.
  • Maraṇa Samādhi Sutra: Elaborates on final practices.
  • Mahāpratyākhyāna Sutra: Details practices for monks at the time of death.
  • Gaṇividyā Sutra: Summarizes astrological texts.

• Six Cheda Sutras (Page 7): These are crucial for maintaining discipline and conduct within the monastic order. They deal with rules, exceptions, and penances. The study of these is restricted to highly qualified monks. The six Cheda Sutras are:

  1. Vyavahāra Sutra
  2. Nisitha Sutra
  3. Mahānishītha Sutra
  4. Panchakalpa Sutra
  5. Daśāśruta Skandha Sutra
  6. Brihatkalpa Sutra (This is the text being highlighted)

• Four Mūla Sutras (Page 7): These are considered fundamental.

  • Daśavaikālika Sutra: An essential text for monks and nuns in the current era, containing ten lessons.
  • Uttarādhyayana Sutra: Contains the last sermons of Lord Mahavira, detailing detachment and conduct.
  • Anuyogadvāra Sutra: Known as the "key to all Agamas," it explains the methods of understanding scriptures and is a prerequisite for studying other Agamas.
  • Āvaśyaka Sutra: Describes six essential daily duties for all members of the Jain community.

• Two Chūlikās (Page 7):

  • Nandi Sutra: Praises Lord Mahavira and details the Jain lineage and knowledge.
  • Anuyogadvāra Sutra: (Already mentioned as a Mūla Sutra, indicating potential overlap or different classifications).

II. Brihatkalpa Sutra (Chheda Sutra) (Pages 8-18):

The latter part of the document focuses specifically on the Brihatkalpa Sutra (Bṛhatkalpa Sūtra), one of the six Cheda Sutras.

• Nature and Content: Pages 8-18 provide a detailed breakdown of the Brihatkalpa Sutra's content, organized by Uddeshakas (chapters/sections). The text is primarily concerned with CharanānuYoga, the branch of Jain knowledge that deals with conduct, discipline, and monastic regulations.

• Key Themes Discussed: The specific sections (Uddeshakas) mention:

  • Sangha Vyavasthā (Sangha Management): Rules and regulations for the Jain monastic community (Sangha).
  • Gana Kramana (Movement between monastic groups).
  • Adhyāpana (Teaching and learning).
  • Kalahashānti (Resolution of disputes).
  • Vaiyāvritya Vidhi (Rules of service and care).
  • Residential rules for different seasons (Varsha, Hemanta, Grishma).
  • Prāyaśchitta (Penances and expiations) for various transgressions.
  • Rules related to food (Eshaṇā, Grahana, Paribhog).
  • Rules regarding clothing, cleaning tools (rajoharaṇa), and living spaces (upāśraya).
  • Rules concerning the acceptance and use of alms (pindapāta).
  • Prohibitions and permissions for monks and nuns regarding various actions, places, and interactions.
  • Specific rules for monks (Nigrantha) and nuns (Nigranthī), highlighting differences in their conduct and permissions.
  • Rules about permissible and impermissible actions related to entering houses, public places, and the environment.
  • Regulations concerning the use of materials like cloths, vessels, and bedding.
  • Prohibitions against certain types of speech and behavior.
  • Rules about movement and travel, especially during specific times and in specific conditions.
  • Guidelines for leaving one monastic group (gana) and joining another.
  • Rules related to illness and seeking assistance.
  • Prohibitions and permissions for interacting with the opposite sex.
  • Regulations for conducting religious practices and austerities.
  • Detailed descriptions of prohibited and permitted items and actions.

• The Textual Format: The pages provide excerpts from the Brihatkalpa Sutra in Prakrit (the original language of many Jain Agamas), with verse numbers indicated. The content is highly specific and prescriptive, outlining the detailed code of conduct for Jain ascetics.

In essence, this document serves as an introduction to the vast body of Jain scripture, the Agamas, and then zooms in on the Brihatkalpa Sutra, highlighting its significance as a foundational text for monastic discipline, outlining a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for the conduct of monks and nuns within the Shvetambar tradition.