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The Kalpa Sūtra (Sanskrit: कल्पसूत्र) is a Jain text containing the biographies of the Jain Tirthankaras, most notably Parshvanath and Mahavira. Within the six sections of the Jain literary corpus belonging to the Śvetāmbara school, it is classed as one of the Cheda Sūtras. It contains detailed life histories and, from the mid-15th century, was frequently illustrated with miniature painting. The oldest surviving copies are written on paper, a medium introduced into western India in the 14th century.
Bhadrabahu I is considered the author of the text and it is traditionally said to have been composed about one hundred and fifty years after Nirvāṇa of Mahāvīra.
Importance
Harinegamesin Takes the Embryo of Mahavira from Devananda and Brings it to Queen Trisala, Folio from a Kalpasutra (Book of Sacred Precepts) Date circa 1450, from Collection of LACMA.
The book is read and illustrated in an eight day long festival of Paryushan by Jain monks for general people. Only Monks can read this scriptures as in olden days ordinary people could not get their copy of kalpasutra as printing was not discovered.
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