|
Agamas are original texts of Jainism based on the discourse of the ''tirthankara''. The discourse delivered in a samavasarana (divine preaching hall) is called ''Śrutu Jnāna'' and comprises of eleven ''angas'' and fourteen ''purvas''. The discourse is recorded by ''Ganadharas'' (chief disciples), and is composed of twelve ''angas'' (departments). It is generally represented by a tree with twelve branches. This forms the basis of the Jaina ''Agamas'' or canons. These are believed to have originated from Rishabha, the first ''tirthankara''. The earliest versions of Jain Agamas known were written in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit language.〔Paul Dundas (2002), The Jains, Routledge, ISBN 978-0415266055, pages 60-63〕〔a. John Cort (2010), Framing the Jina: Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0195385021, pages 100-101; b. John Cort (1998), Open Boundaries: Jain Communities and Cultures in Indian History, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0791437858, page 6〕 ==History== The teachings of Mahavira were orally compiled by his disciples into various Sutras (texts) which were collectively called Jain canonical or ''Agamic'' literature. Traditionally these sutras were orally passed on from teachers (acharyas) to the disciples for several centuries. Digambara, the older sect of Jainism rejects the authority of the ''Agamas'' known today. They believe that by the time of Dharasena, the twenty-third teacher after Indrabhuti Gautama, knowledge of only one Anga was there. This was about 683 years after the Nirvana of Mahavira. After Dharasena's pupils Pushpadanta and Bhutabali, even that was lost. While some authors date the composition of Jain Agamas starting from 6th century BC,〔Nagendra Kr. Singh. (2001). Encyclopedia of Jainism (Edited by Nagendra Kr. Singh). New Delhi: Anmol Publications. ISBN 81-261-0691-3 page 4308〕 noted Indologist Hermann Jacobi holds that the composition of the Jaina siddhanta would fall somewhere about the end of the 4th or the beginning of the 3rd century BC. 〔 p. xliii〕 The general consensus amongst western scholars,like Ian Whicher and David Carpenter is that the earliest portions of Jain siddhanta were composed around the 4th or 3rd century BC.〔Yoga: The Indian Tradition. Edited by Ian Whicher and David Carpenter. London: Routledgecurzon, 2003. ISBN – 0-7007-1288-7 page 64〕〔C. Chappie ( 1993) Nonviolence to Animals, Earth and Self in Asian Traditions. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-1497-3 page 5〕 This may not be in agreement with Jain tradition according to which the ''agamic'' literature and the Purvas were passed from one heads of the order to his disciples for around 170 years after the nirvana of Mahavira. However with time, it became difficult to keep the entire Jain literature committed to memory. In 3rd century B.C., Chandragupta Maurya was the ruler of Magadha and Bhadrabahu, (the last knower of complete Jain ''agamas'') was the head of Jain community. Predicting a 12 year long famine, Bhadrabahu went south to Karnataka with his adherents and Sthulabhadra, another Jain monk remained behind. During this time the knowledge of the doctrine was getting lost. A council was formed at Pataliputra where eleven scriptures called Angas were compiled and the remnant of fourteen purvas were written down in 12th Anga, Ditthivaya by the adherents of Sthulbhadra. Duw to the twelve years of famine it was extremely difficult for the Jain ascetics to preserve the entire canonical literature. The Purvas or the ancient texts were already forgotten and lost after the famine. According to Svetambara tradition, the agamas were collected on the basis of collective memory of the ascetics in the first council of Pataliputra under the stewardship of ''Sthulibhadra'' in around to 463–367 BC.〔 p. xlii〕 Digambaras reject the authority of the ''Agamas'' compiled by Sthulabhadra. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jain Agamas」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|