सूत्र-स्वाध्याय का अधिकारी कौन
Summary
The text discusses the Jain scriptural authority for sutra (scripture) study, asserting that only monks (sadhus) are permitted to study the sutras, not laypeople (shravakas). It argues that while both monks and laypeople are referred to as "suyapariggahiya" (possessors of scriptural knowledge) in texts like the Nandi and Samavayanga, this term applies to laypeople only in the sense of understanding the meaning (artha-shruta), not the literal text (sutra-shruta). The text cites various Jain agamas, including the Prashna Vyakarana, Nisheetha, Sthananga, and Aupapatika, to support this distinction. It notes that monks must observe a time restriction, beginning sutra study only after three years of initiation, and that teaching sutras to unqualified individuals, including laypeople, is prohibited. The text addresses counterarguments, such as the practice of laypeople reciting the Avashyaka Sutra during pratikramana, explaining that this specific sutra is permitted for them. It also clarifies that laypeople may study a few verses for inspiration, but systematic study of kalika and utkalika sutras is forbidden. The text concludes that any layperson studying sutras does so by personal choice, not by divine command, and that monks must not endorse such practice.
Conclusion
The document's analysis firmly establishes that the authority for Sūtra-svādhyāya (scriptural study) is exclusively reserved for ascetics (sādhus), not for lay followers (śrāvakas). The key implication is that while lay individuals may engage in scriptural recitation out of personal choice, such practice does not constitute an act of religious merit under the Jina's command. The text resolves apparent contradictions in scriptural passages, clarifying that terms like "śrutapari-gṛhīta" applied to laypeople refer only to their mastery of meaning (artha-śruta), not textual recitation. This distinction preserves the hierarchical structure of Jain religious practice, where ascetics alone are deemed qualified vessels for preserving and transmitting the sacred texts. The outcome reinforces traditional monastic authority over scriptural knowledge, while directing lay spiritual practice toward understanding meaning rather than textual study.