Answer

Jain Agamas are the sacred canonical texts of Jain Dharma. If you mean the Śvetāmbara Jain Agamas, the main scriptural body is traditionally organized around the 12 Angas. Since chapter numbering and section names can vary by edition and commentary, I am giving you a detailed traditional content outline, text by text, in a chapter-wise style.

Explanation

1) Ācārāṅga Sūtra

This Agama is the foundation of right conduct.

Main contents

• Non-violence in the purest form

- Carefulness in walking, speaking, eating, and acting - Avoiding harm to even the smallest living beings

• Life of the ascetic

- Discipline of monks and nuns - Detachment from comfort, pride, and possessions

• Spiritual vigilance

- Constant awareness - Warning against laziness and negligence

• Reflections on worldly life

- Impermanence of life - Suffering caused by attachment

• Description of Lord Mahavira’s practice

- Hardship, endurance, penance, and self-restraint

• Ethics of restraint

- Control of body, speech, and mind - Avoiding violence in thought and intention

Spiritual message

This text teaches that conduct is the first expression of Jain spirituality.

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2) Sūtrakṛtāṅga Sūtra

This Agama mainly deals with philosophy, wrong views, and correct Jain doctrine.

Main contents

• Refutation of non-Jain doctrines

- Examination of mistaken beliefs - Clarification of Jain perspective

• Teaching of vows and discipline

- Importance of restraint - Rejection of violence and indulgence

• Karma and bondage

- How actions bind the soul - Why purity of conduct is necessary

• Renunciation

- Leaving attachment to home, wealth, and fame

• Dialogues and instructions

- Philosophical discussion style - Guidance for seekers and monks

Spiritual message

This text strengthens faith, discrimination, and doctrinal clarity.

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3) Sthānāṅga Sūtra

This Agama is arranged through numerical classification.

Main contents

• Topics explained in numbered sets

- One, two, three, up to higher numerical groups

• Classification of Jain principles

- Souls, substances, vows, karmas, stages, virtues

• Mnemonic style teaching

- Easy memorization through lists

• Core doctrinal categories

- Proper knowledge of Jain terminology - Structured understanding of the path

Spiritual message

It helps the student organize Jain teachings systematically.

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4) Samavāyāṅga Sūtra

This Agama also uses number-based arrangement, but in a deeper way.

Main contents

• Cosmology and time-cycle

- Broad structure of the Jain universe - Time divisions and cycles

• Numbers connected with Jain doctrine

- Categories, stages, beings, vows, heavens, and hells

• Sacred enumeration

- How the same number appears in multiple scriptural themes

• Didactic structure

- Suitable for memorization and reflection

Spiritual message

This text gives order, depth, and cosmic perspective.

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5) Bhagavatī Vyākhyā Prajñāpti Sūtra

This is one of the largest and most important Agamas. It contains dialogues with Lord Mahavira.

Main contents

• Questions and answers

- Philosophical inquiry and scriptural explanation

• Soul and karma

- Nature of the soul - Bondage, influx, stoppage, and shedding of karma

• Cosmology

- Universe, realms, beings, movement of souls

• Ethics and conduct

- Right living and wrong living

• Debates with disciples and seekers

- Clarification through dialogue

• Many doctrinal subjects

- Knowledge, perception, vows, rebirth, merit, demerit, and liberation

Spiritual message

This Agama is a deep ocean of Jain philosophy.

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6) Jñātādharmakathāṅga Sūtra

This Agama teaches through stories and examples.

Main contents

• Illustrative narratives

- Tales showing the power of right conduct

• Dharma explained through story

- Renunciation, compassion, non-violence, and detachment

• Karmic lessons

- How actions bring consequences

• Moral transformation

- Stories of change, repentance, and purity

• Practical teaching

- Easy for ordinary listeners to understand

Spiritual message

It shows that truth becomes memorable through sacred narration.

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7) Upāsakadaśāṅga Sūtra

This Agama describes the lives of ten important lay disciples.

Main contents

• Ideal householder life

- How a Jain layperson should live

• The twelve vows and discipline

- Basic lay ethics

• Devotion to Mahavira

- Faith, service, and learning

• Charity and restraint

- Giving, fasting, and self-control

• Examples of noble householders

- Ten disciples as spiritual models

• End of life

- Their progress and spiritual attainment

Spiritual message

This text teaches how a householder can live spiritually within worldly life.

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8) Antakṛddaśāṅga Sūtra

This Agama describes those who ended the cycle of birth and death by attaining liberation.

Main contents

• Stories of liberated beings

- Ascetics and devotees who reached kevalajñāna and moksha

• Life of intense spiritual effort

- Austerity, purity, and perseverance

• Completion of the spiritual journey

- Final destruction of karmas

• Inspiration for seekers

- The possibility of liberation through effort

Spiritual message

It shows the fruits of supreme discipline and purification.

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9) Anuttaropapātikadaśāṅga Sūtra

This Agama describes beings reborn in the highest heavens.

Main contents

• Meritorious beings

- Those who attain exalted heavenly birth

• Spiritual excellence

- Right faith, vows, penance, and devotion

• Relation between merit and rebirth

- How noble conduct leads to superior realms

• Path beyond heaven

- Heavens are not final liberation, but a high result of merit

Spiritual message

It teaches that virtue has higher consequences, but liberation is the ultimate goal.

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10) Praśnavyākaraṇa Sūtra

This Agama is traditionally known for answers about auspicious and inauspicious actions.

Main contents

• Questions about conduct

- What is wholesome and what is harmful

• Auspicious practices

- Virtue, restraint, devotion, and purity

• Inauspicious practices

- Violence, deceit, greed, anger, pride, and attachment

• Moral guidance

- How to live with purity in intention and action

Spiritual message

This text helps a seeker distinguish beneficial conduct from harmful conduct.

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11) Vipāka Sūtra

This Agama explains the fruits of karma through stories.

Main contents

• Results of bad karma

- Suffering due to violence, greed, anger, and deceit

• Results of good karma

- Happiness, noble birth, and favorable conditions

• Moral causation

- Every action carries a consequence

• Teaching through narrative

- Story form makes karmic law clear

Spiritual message

This text powerfully teaches that karma is exact, and nothing is wasted.

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12) Dṛṣṭivāda

This is the most famous lost Anga in the traditional list.

Main contents in tradition

• Philosophical systems
• Arguments and refutations
• Karma doctrine
• Cosmology
• The fourteen Pūrvas
• Very deep and vast knowledge

Important note

• This text is not extant in full today
• It is remembered as an ancient and enormous scripture in Jain tradition

Spiritual message

It represents the depth of the ancient Jain scriptural heritage.

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Additional Structure of Jain Agamic Literature

If you want the full Jain Agama system, it is often spoken of in groups such as:

• 12 Angas — core canonical texts
• 12 Upāṅgas — auxiliary scriptures
• 6 Cheda Sūtras — monastic discipline
• 4 Mūla Sūtras — foundational texts for monks
• 10 Prakīrṇakas — miscellaneous sacred texts
• 2 Cūlikās / related texts in some traditional classifications

What these groups generally cover

• Upāṅgas: cosmology, hells, heavens, geography, sacred narratives
• Cheda Sūtras: rules of discipline, repentance, and monastic order
• Mūla Sūtras: basic scriptural training for ascetics
• Prakīrṇakas: prayer, devotion, ethics, penance, and meditation

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Spiritual Understanding

The Jain Agamas are not just books of information. They are a complete path of purification:

• Ācārāṅga teaches conduct
• Sūtrakṛtāṅga teaches doctrine
• Sthānāṅga and Samavāyāṅga teach structure and order
• Bhagavatī teaches deep philosophy
• Narrative Agamas teach by example
• Lay and ascetic texts teach both household and monastic dharma
• Vipāka teaches karmic truth

Together, they show the Jain path of:

• Right faith
• Right knowledge
• Right conduct
• Non-violence
• Self-restraint
• Austerity
• Liberation

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Takeaway

If you want to study Jain Agamas properly, begin in this order:

1. Ācārāṅga Sūtra
2. Sūtrakṛtāṅga Sūtra
3. Sthānāṅga Sūtra
4. Samavāyāṅga Sūtra
5. Bhagavatī Sūtra
6. Jñātādharmakathāṅga
7. Upāsakadaśāṅga
8. Antakṛddaśāṅga
9. Anuttaropapātikadaśāṅga
10. Praśnavyākaraṇa
11. Vipāka Sūtra
12. Dṛṣṭivāda

I can also prepare the Upāṅgas, Cheda Sūtras, and Mūla Sūtras in the same detailed format in a second part.