Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c12.s16.1

c12.s16.1

The *Vedas*, which are represented as the earliest literature on India, must have been the main topics of study. The three *Vedas*, viz, *Ruuveya*, Jauvveya and Sāmaveya are mentioned in the Thāṇāṅga.¹³ The following curriculum of study comprising the Vedic branches of learning are mentioned :— Ruvveya, Jauvveya, Sāmaveya, Athavvaṇaveya, Itihāsa (Purāṇa), the fifth Veda, Nighaṇṭu, the sixth Veda; six Veāṅgas comprising saṅkhāṇa (arithmetic), sikkha (phonetics), kappa (ritual), vāgaraṇa (grammar), chanda (metre), nirutta (exegesis), and joisa (astronomy-astrology) ; six Upāṅgas, which comprised further elaborations of the subjects dealt within the Vedāṅgas and Satthitanta, which was an authoritative treatise on the Sāṃkhya School.¹⁴ The Uttarādhyayana commentary mentions the following fourteen subjects of study (vijjaṭṭhāṇa) :—four Vedas, six Vedāṅgas, Mīmāṃsā, Nāya, Purāṇa and Dhammasattha.¹⁵