Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
Samavāyāṅga and Ācārāṅga Niryukti mention 'Mahāpariṇṇā' chapter with the above said eight chapters but at present it is not available.[1] Acharya Mahapragya describes its loss on factual basis as- Mahāparijñā, a chapter of Ācārāṅga is completely lost, this is the belief of Śvetambara tradition. It is believed that this chapter was lost between the period of Vajrasvāmī and Śilānkasūri. The author of niryukti has mentioned the subject matter of Mahāparijñā chapter and has also composed niryukti commentary on it. This proves that this chapter was before him while composing the niryukti. This chapter also existed until the time of Cūrṇikāra, because he did not refer about the extinction of this chapter as Śīlānkasūri did but he states that it has been excluded from the studies. Mahāparijñā contained many mystical sciences and mantras. Teaching these sciences, resulted in undesired consequences and thus the prevalent acharyas of the time declared it to be asamanujñāta (i.e. unfit for study) and prohibited its reading as well as teaching. It seems that due to this prohibition of study, Mahāpariṇṇā chapter was lost forever.[2]
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