Jaina Gazette 1914

SR No.: 034888
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: J L Jaini, Ajitprasad
Publisher: Jaina Gazettee Office
Publication Year: 1914
Total Pages: 332
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 24

1914] JAINA GAZETTE.
207 the older texts; our anknown author gave them a bulk not too muck disagreeing with that of the first three Tantras. Ha reached his aim by transposing part of the stories of books III & IV and by that of the old fifth Tantra, which apparently included but two intercalated stories, quite a new one, with eleven stories besides the frame story,
The only edition, which gives an approximate idea of this text, is that of Kielhorn and Buhler in Vols. I, III and IV of the Bombay Sanskrit series. But these two scholars had only one single Manuscript at their disposal, and this Manuscript was a late one, which contained not less than eight interpolated stories. This edition has been translated into German by Ludwig Britze in the year 1884 and into Dutch by H. G. Van der Waals in 1895 to 1897.
The many Manuscripts which I examined of this recension very widely differ in their wording, and owing to much copying and comparing of other manuscripts the texts of even old manuscripts are nearly always in a sad condition. It is a duty of gratitude, Jain scholars owe to one of the most successful writer's of their community to search after old and good copies of this text, after copies which contain the Prashasti, then it will be possible to ascertain the name and the date of the author, and to throw aside the awkward and unfitting Latin title 'textus simplicior'. No doubt such manuscripts are still in existence. In the Jaina Upashrayas of Popblians pado in Patan and in Dehlana pado in Ahmedabad there are still very numerous copies of the Panchakhyana which, unfortunately for the sake of Jain literature, I was not granted the use of. Nobody, I dare say, has at present such a survey of the different recensions as the author of these lines. If these manuscripts would be sent him for examination, he would in a very short time be able to give them their place in the history of this famous book. The use he has made of the very numerous Manuscripts sent to him by public authorities and Indian as well as European scholars will show he deserves such aid, and that the reputation of Jain literature
has derived a considerable profit from his investigation. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat