Agam 44 Chulika 01 Nandi Sutra

This document is the English summary of "Agam 44 Chulika 01 Nandi Sutra" by Chandrasuri, published by Devchand Lalbhai Pustakoddhar Fund.

The text is a commentary called "Durgapadavyakhya" (Commentary on Difficult Passages) by Acharya Chandrasuri on the "Nandi Sutra" and its commentary by Haribhadra Suri. The author, Acharya Chandrasuri, was a disciple of Dhaneshwar Suri, who in turn was a disciple of Acharya Shilbhadra Suri. Chandrasuri, whose original name was Parshvadev Gani, became Acharya between 1171 and 1174 AD.

The "Durgapadavyakhya" specifically clarifies difficult sections of Haribhadra Suri's commentary, not the entire commentary itself. Acharya Chandrasuri demonstrated great skill as a commentator by quoting various wise sayings, citing grammatical rules, and including entire Prakrit stories as found.

The document also provides details about Acharya Chandrasuri's life and other works, including "Nyayapravesh Panjika," "Nishithachurni Visheshak Vyakhya," "Shraddhpratikaman Sutra Vritti," and others. It highlights that his time was around 1171-1174 AD, based on his commentary on the 20th chapter of Nishithachurni.

A significant point mentioned is that Acharya Chandrasuri's commentary provides insights into the "Prashna Vyakarana" text as it existed in his time, which included knowledge of mantra vidyas like "Angushtha Prashna" and "Bahu Prashna," as well as powers like "Stambhan" and "Vashikaran," and even the ability to manifest celestial beings like Nagakumara and Suparna Kumara to provide omens. The text notes that the Prashna Vyakarana text must have undergone significant changes by the time it was discovered in its current form.

The preface also details the publication process, mentioning that the manuscript was found to be full of errors. Despite efforts to find other manuscripts for comparison, they were unsuccessful. Therefore, the decision was made to print it as it was, with the hope that future scholars might correct it. The editor, Subodhchandra Nanalal Shah, mentions the challenges faced due to the poor condition of the manuscript and his efforts to improve it where possible, leaving sections unchanged where no authoritative source was available. The cataloging work was done by Devchand Lalbhai Jain Pustakoddhar Fund.

The latter part of the document is the actual text of the commentary, containing detailed explanations of various Jain philosophical concepts, definitions, and examples, often citing other scriptures and authors. It delves into the nuances of various types of knowledge (mati, shruta, avadhi, manahparyaya, keval), the nature of reality, karma, and the conduct of monks and lay followers, using illustrative stories and analogies.

The document also includes a detailed "Prashasti" (concluding verses) listing the lineage of scholars and patrons involved in the publication and the commendable charitable activities of Shri Meghadhan, a follower of the Tapa Gachchha tradition, who commissioned the printing of this work.