• The Agamas are the main Jain scriptures that record the teachings of Mahavira. They are central to Jain practice and philosophy, but there is a difference in how the two main Jain traditions view them.

• Śvetāmbara view:

- They traditionally recognize a large corpus of Agamas (commonly described as 45 texts). These are grouped into families like Anga, Upanga, Cheda-sutras, Mūla-sūtras, Chūlika-sūtras, and Prakīrṇaka-sūtras. - They believe many of the original Anga texts survive today, especially the first 11 Angas, while some (like the 12th Anga) are considered lost. The written canon was compiled in Vallabhi, India, in around the 6th century CE. - Language: Ardhamagadhi Prakrit (with later Indian languages for some commentaries).

• Digambara view:

- They hold that the original Agamas were lost long ago and therefore the texts currently in use are later works or recensions. They do not accept the Śvetāmbara list as the complete original Agama collection.

• Core purpose of the Agamas:

- To teach right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct (samyak-darshan, samyak-gnan, samyak-charitra) leading to liberation. - They cover ethics (ahimsa, truth, non-attachment), monastic codes, cosmology, and the life and path of Mahavira.

• A few things you might find helpful:

- The Agamas are widely associated with both traditions, but the exact texts and their order differ between Digambara and Śvetāmbara. The śravaṇā and practice described in the Agamas remain central to Jain ethics and spiritual practice.

• If you’d like to read a concise explanation in Jain terms, you can read more here .

• Additional note on language and transmission:

- Early Agamas were composed in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit; later texts appear in other Prakrits and Sanskrit. This helps explain why some Jain texts feel more "ancient" in style and phrasing, depending on the tradition and manuscript lineage. For a quick overview on language, you can read here .

• If you want, I can list representative texts from Śvetāmbara and from Digambara traditions and explain how each is viewed within its own tradition.