Within the Jain tradition, the Āgamas are revered as the canonical reservoir of Mahāvīra’s spiritual message, preserving both his spoken discourses and their practical implications. They are understood to arise from his sermons, transmitted through his chief disciples (gaṇadharas), who memorized, systematized, and later organized them into the textual collections known as Āgamas or Ganipiṭaka. In this way, the texts are not distant reflections but are regarded as the crystallized form of his living voice, capturing his responses to disciples, ascetics, rulers, and seekers. The Śvetāmbara community maintains a corpus of Āgamas as the surviving portion of this tradition, while the Digambara community holds that the original Āgamas have been lost and that later works attempt to reconstruct his teaching. Despite this divergence, both streams see the Āgama tradition as rooted in Mahāvīra’s original teaching activity and spiritual authority.

The content of the Āgamas weaves together doctrine, discipline, and narrative, so that Mahāvīra’s life and his teachings illuminate one another. Texts such as the Ācārāṅga Sūtra and the Bhagavatī Sūtra portray episodes from his life—his renunciation, austerities, attainment of omniscience, wanderings, and encounters with disciples and lay followers—while simultaneously unfolding philosophical and ethical instruction. Through these narratives, the path he walked becomes the paradigm for the path he taught, allowing readers to see how principles are embodied in concrete choices and encounters. The Āgamas also preserve his dialogues and expositions on karma, the nature of reality, and the path to liberation, so that metaphysical insight and lived example stand side by side.

Equally central is the way the Āgamas codify conduct and spiritual discipline, translating Mahāvīra’s insights into a detailed way of life. They articulate his teachings on non‑violence, truthfulness, non‑stealing, celibacy, and non‑possession, and extend these into rules and guidelines for monks, nuns, and lay followers. In doing so, they present not only lofty ideals but also concrete frameworks for monastic discipline and household practice, making the path to liberation intelligible and practicable. Doctrines such as anekāntavāda and the careful analysis of karma are thus not merely speculative; in the Āgamas they are consistently tied to ethical choices, meditative practice, and the gradual purification of the soul. Through this integration of doctrine, narrative, and discipline, the Āgamas function as the canonical embodiment of Mahāvīra’s teaching career, preserving his voice as both teacher of truth and guide on the path.