The Jain 'Kalpa Sutra', which contains biographies of the Tirthankaras, is traditionally ascribed to:

The "Kalpa Sutra", one of the most important texts of the Shvetambara Jains, is traditionally ascribed to the Jain teacher Bhadrabahu.

About the Kalpa Sutra:

It is written in Prakrit.

It contains three main parts:

• "Jinacharita": biographies of the Tirthankaras, especially Mahavira, Parshvanatha, Neminatha and Rishabhanatha.
• "Sthaviravali": a list of the successors (heads) of the Jain order after Mahavira.
• "Samachari": rules of conduct for monks during the rainy season.
• It is recited and read aloud by monks during the "Paryushana" festival every year.
• It is one of the main sources for the early history of Jainism and for the life of Mahavira.

Illustrated manuscripts:

• Many beautifully illustrated manuscripts of the Kalpa Sutra were made in Gujarat and western India from the 14th century onwards.
• They are important examples of the "Western Indian" style of painting, with figures that have angular faces and protruding eyes.
• Manuscripts were often painted with gold and red colours.

About Bhadrabahu:

• He was a Jain monk and the last "Shrutakevalin" (one who knew all the Jain scriptures by heart), according to tradition.
• According to Digambara tradition, he led a group of Jain monks to the south (Karnataka) during a long famine in Magadha, around the 3rd century BCE.
• He is said to have died at Shravanabelagola.

Other important Jain texts and authors:

• "Tattvartha Sutra": Umasvati (Umasvami); accepted by both Digambaras and Shvetambaras.
• "Trishashti-shalaka-purusha-charitra": Hemachandra (12th century), a biography of 63 great persons of Jain tradition.
• "Samaraichchakaha": Haribhadra.
• "Adipurana": Jinasena.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Umasvati wrote the Tattvartha Sutra.
• ✗Hemachandra was a 12th-century Jain scholar of Gujarat.
• ✗Haribhadra was an 8th-century Jain scholar.