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PREFACE
Acũrya Samantabhadra - the embodiment of right faith, knowledge, and conduct
Acārya Samantabhadra was a great Digambara ascetic endowed A with exceptional knowledge of the Jaina doctrine. He preached and propagated, far and wide, core principles of the doctrine by visiting many places in India. His literary and philosophical talents are not open to dispute; many inscriptions and works by subsequent Jaina Acāryas have extolled his virtues as well as his works in superlative terms. A case in point is the assertion by Ācārya Jinasena in Adipurāṇal:
नमः समन्तभद्राय महते कविवेधसे । 4&104 FAYHT: 040184: 1143 11
I bow to Ācārya Samantrabhadra, the ultimate creator (Brahmā) among all poets, whose words are like a stroke of lightning which tears apart mountains of misconceptions. कवीनां गमकानां च वादिनां वाग्मिनामपि । 421: 414-7745TL HET ESTHvíld 11 44 11
Acārya Samantrabhadra's glory reigned supreme among all poets, scholars, disputants, and preachers; he was like a jewel on their heads.
Four exceptional qualities of Ācārya Samantabhadra have been mentioned: 1) poetic skill (kavitva) which made his compositions excellent in terms of profoundness of content and grandiosity of expression; 2) intellectual authority (gamakatva) because of which he was able to explore and expound deep meanings of profound religious texts; 3) debating skill (vāditva) which made him capable of reasoning out the most difficult philosophical disputes; and 4) charming
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