Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c5.s9.5

c5.s9.5

Then again in course of time, the sacred books of the Jains, again were reduced to a state of disorder and so between the year 827 and 840 after the death of Mahāvīra (i.e. 360-373 A.D) another council was summoned at Mathurā under the presidentship of Ārya Skandila. We read in the *Nandī Cūrṇi* (p. 8) that during the time of terrible famine which lasted for a very long time it became difficult for the monks to obtain their alms, and so they were unable to continue the study of the scriptures and consequently a great portion of the canon was lost. In course of time, after the famine came to an end, a council was convened at Mathurā and whatever could be gathered from different monks, was collected and was fixed in the form of the Canon known as Kālyasuya. According to another tradition, however, no Canon was lost during this period, but except Ārya Skandila most of eminent monks, versed in the *Āgama* (*Anuyogadharāḥ*) had lost their lives. This is known as the Māthurī version (*vācanā*) of the Canons.