The Digambar sect believes that there were 25 Agam-sutras (11 Ang-agams + 14 Ang-bahya-agams) complied from the original preaching of Lord Mahavir. However, they were gradually lost starting about two hundred years after Lord Mahavir's nirvana. Hence the existing Agam-sutras (which are accepted by the Swetambar sects) are not accepted by them as authentic scriptures.

In the absence of authentic scriptures, Digambars use the following literature as the basis for their religious practice. These scriptures were written by great Acharyas (scholars) from 100 to 800 A.D. and are based on the original Agam Sutras.

• Two Main Texts:
  • Shatkhand-agam
  • Kasay-pahud
• Four Anuyogas:
  • Pratham-anuyoga (Dharma-kath-anuyoga) - Religious Stories
  • Charn-anuyoga - Conduct
  • Karan-anuyoga (Ganit-anuyoga) - Description of the Universe
  • Dravy-anuyoga - Philosophy

Shatkhand-agam:

This Digambar scripture is also known as Maha-kammapayadi-pahuda or Maha-karma-prabhrut. It was written by two Acharyas; Pushpadant and Bhutabali around 160 A.D. The second Purva-agam named Agraya-niya was used as the basis for this scripture. The scripture 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 A.D.

Kashay-pahud (Kashay Prabhrut): This scripture was written by Acharya Gunadhara. 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 A.D.

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.

   Name	Author	Time
   Padma-puran	Ravisen	650 A.D.
   Harivamsa-puran	Jinsen II	783 A.D.
   Adi-puran	Jinsen II	783 A.D.
   Uttar-puran	Gunabhadra	879 A.D.

2. Charn-anuyoga - Conduct

   This anuyoga consists of the following texts which contain principles of observances, conduct, behavior, and like literature.

   Mulachar	Vattaura	600 A.D.
   Trivarnachar	Vattaura	600 A.D.
   Ratna-karanda-shravak-achar	Samantabhadra	600 A.D.

3. Karan-anuyoga (Ganit-anuyog) - Description of the Universe

   This anuyoga consists of the following texts which contain geography, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, and like literature.

   Surya-prajnapti	Unknown	-
   Chandra-prajnapti	Unknown	-
   Jaya-dhaval-tika	Virsen/Jinsen	780 A.D.
   Gommat-sar	Nemichandra Siddhant Chakravarti	1000 A.D.

4. Dravy-anuyog - Philosophy

   This anuyoga consists of the following texts which contain philosophical doctrine, theories, Tattvajnan, and like literature.

   Niyamasar	Kunda-kunda	100 A.D.
   Panchastikaya	Kunda-kunda	100 A.D.
   Pravachanasar	Kunda-kunda	100 A.D.
   Samaya-sara	Kunda-kunda	100 A.D.
   Tattvartha-sutra	Umaswami	200 A.D.
   commentary by	Samantabhadra	600 A.D.
   commentary by	Pujyapad	700 A.D.
   commentary by	Akalank	750 A.D.
   commentary by	Vidyanand	800 A.D.
   Aptamimamsa	Samantabhadra	600 A.D.
   commentary by	Akalank	750 A.D.
   commentary by	Vidyanand	800 A.D.

Summary:

The Jain literature which was complied 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 texts (Shatkhand Agam and Kasay Pahud) and four Anuyogs (consisting of more than 20 texts) written by great Acharyas (scholars) from 100 to 800 A.D.

All other Jain literature is known as Non-agam literature.

Summary Table: Category Accepted by Digambar Swetambar Murtipujak Sthanakvasi Terapanthi Ang-agams 11 11 11 Ang-bahya-agams 14 34 21 Total Agams 25 45 32

Classification of Ang-bahya-agams of Swetamber Sects:

 

Upang-agams	12	12
Chhed-sutra-agams	6	4
Mool-sutra-agams	4	3
Chulika-sutra-agams	2	2
Prakirna-agams	10	none
Total Ang-bahya-agams	34	21