Sthananga Sutra

Sthananga Sutra (Sanskrit: Sthānāṅgasūtra; Prakrit: Ṭhāṇaṃgasutta) (c. 3rd–4th century BCE) forms part of the first eleven Angas of the Jaina Canon which have survived despite the bad effects of this Hundavasarpini kala as per the Śvetāmbara belief. This is the reason why, under the leadership of Devardhigani Ksamasramana, the eleven Angas of the Śvetāmbara canon were formalised and reduced to writing. This took place at Valabhi 993 years after Māhavīra's nirvana. (466 CE). In the vacana held at Valabhi, in Gujarat, the Sthananga Sutra was finalised and redacted. The language used is Ardhamāgadhī Prakrit. The mula sutras of the Sthananga Sutra are difficult to understand without the help of a commentary or tika. Hence, in the 11th century CE, Abhayadevasuri wrote a comprehensive Sanskrit gloss on the Sthananga Sutra.