agamas

Agama is a Sanskrit term meaning "that which has come down" or "tradition," used for a class of scriptures in Indian religions. The term is most commonly applied to Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist literature.

In Hinduism, Agamas are a major corpus of scriptures prescribing theology, ritual, temple rites, and iconography. The principal groups are Shaiva Agamas, Vaishnava Agamas (including Pancharatra and Vaikhanasa), and Shakta Agamas. Texts exist in Sanskrit and Tamil, among other languages, and are authoritative for many regional practice. Attitudes to their authority and dating vary by lineage; some communities treat them as revealed scripture, others as later manuals for particular sects.

In Jainism, Agama denotes the canonical scriptures traditionally attributed to the teachings of Mahavira and his successors. The Svetambara and Digambara sects preserve different canons and lists of Agamas, which cover ethics, cosmology, and the lives of Tirthankaras.

In Buddhism, the term Agama refers to early sutra collections preserved in several languages, especially in Chinese and Tibetan canons. These Agamas parallel much of the Pali Nikaya material and include discourses on the Four Noble Truths, dependent origination, and other core doctrines. They illuminate early Buddhism and were transmitted across regions and schools.

Across traditions, Agamas designate transmitted teachings that ground ritual, ethics, and doctrine.