A History of the Canonical Literature of the Jainas c5.54

c5.54

It appears that looking to the nature of the five sections, they must have been composed in the very order in which they are mentioned in *Nandī*, and that the other order only reflects the attitude that can be taken regarding the study and teaching of *Aṇuoga*, the 4th section of *Diṭṭhivāya*. To put it explicitly, on seeing that *upakrama*, *nikṣepa*, *anugama* and *naya* form the four entrances to *aṇuyoga* or exposition, one may be inclined to believe that the *Aṇuoga* in question, too, is associated with these four entrances. If this is correct, it may be added that it is an open secret that one has to go through the first two entrances before studying a scripture (strictly speaking its portion), and the last two entrances are resorted to, after one has been initiated into the portion concerned. Some may therefore look upon the first two entrances as the main ones; for, it is after mastering them that the study of the portion concerned is commenced, whereas others may attach more importance to the last two as they help in cultivating and culminating the real study. It is this difference of opinion which may lead to the change in the assignment of the orders for *Puvvagaya* and *Aṇuoga*. For, those who hold the first view may assign to *Aṇuoga*, a place prior to that meant for *Puvvagaya*, whereas those who hold the second view may place *Puvvagaya* ahead of *Aṇuoga*. This means that some may believe that the right place for *Aṇuoga*, is just where it is first made use of, whereas some may believe that the initial stage is not so important as the culminating one, and that the latter follows the initiation of the work in question, and hence it cannot be assigned a place prior to that work but only one following it.