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The mistakes in the matter and manner of the book are proofs of my incapacity to grasp and reflect even one distant broken ray of the great Sun of Omniscience, from which direct descent is rightly claimed by the book and its contents. In all humility, I beg to be pardoned for this; and the indulgent learned, I am sure, will forgive an ignorant and humble admirer of theirs for his inevitable shortcomings. Indeed all my Jaina writings are really a poorlyequipped student's First Notes. I am not a Samskrit or Prakrit Scholar. Then my excursions into Jainism have been few and occasional. But they have been always most honest, concentrated and with a soul eager and fully devoted to know the Truth of Jainism.
My aim has been not to justify or defend or even to explain Jainism; but simply to record its whole tradition in its entire purity.
In conclusion, I must thank Jaina Dharma Bhushana Brahma : chárí Sital Prasáda and Pandit Ajit Prasáda, M. A., LL.B. for their unrepayable obligation upon me, in seeing the book through the Press at the cost of so much time and trouble.
INDORE. DIVALI.(VIRA-NIRVANA DAY), Vira Samvat 2453, November 1926.
J. L. JAINI.
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