Ang Bahya Agams

Ang Bahya Agams are important texts in the Jain canonical literature. These texts were written by monks known as Srut kevlis, who were reputed for their near perfect knowledge of reality. The literal meaning of ‘ang bahya agam’ is ‘outside the Ang Agams,’ referring to the non inclusion of the texts in the Ang Agam collection.

There is no common agreement on the authenticity of the currently available versions of Ang Bahya Agams. Different sects in the Jain religion argue about different numbers of the texts in the collection. The Digambar sect believes that only 14 texts were in the collection and all of them were lost in the period extending from 364 BC to 157 AD. On the contrary the Shwetambar murtipujaks (idol worshippers) believe in the existence of 34 texts, while Shwetambar non-murtipujaks (non-idol worshippers) believe in 21 texts.