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PREFACE.
My "Outlines of Jainism" was published by the Cambridge Uni. versity Press for the Jaina Literature Society, London, in 1916, in advance of a series designed to consist principally, but not exclusively, of translations from authoritative texts. The aim was to put the whole Jaina Canon in brief on one bookshelf. In pursuance of this idea, which I brought back with me from Oxford and London in 1910 and 1913, the Jaina sacred texts began to be translated. My friend, the late Kumár Devendra Prasáda was in constant consultation with me. With his most enthusiastic and inimitable love for the work, he published some Jaina works and then started the Sacred Books of the Jaina Series, with the splendid First Volume of Dravya Sangraha, edited by Mr. S. C. Ghosal in 1916. My Tattvártha Sútra followed as the Second Volume in 1920, The learned Prof. A. Chakravarti gave us the Third Volume as Panchásti Káya at the end of the same year. Purushártha Siddhyupaya, with translation and Commentaries was prepared by my learned brother Pandit Ajit Prasada, of Ajitashram Lucknow; and the Indian Press of Allahabad had printed about half the book when the Kumár suddenly died.
On the 14th December 1920 Kumar Devendra Prasáda wrote to me, saying "Volume V be your Gommațasára.” I take this as a testamentary wish of a beloved soul and therefore publish this translation as Volume Fifth of the Sacred Books of the Jainas. Volume Fourth, Purushártha Siddyupaya is also in Press.
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