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JAIN JOURNAL
taries and English translations of them to enable the world to realise and appreciate the noble teachings of Mahavir." The picture is not very different today even after five decades. The Central Jain Publishing House brought out 12 volumes of the Sacred Books of the Jainas. The laudable work started by men like J. L. Jaini and Ajit Prasada had to be abandoned after their demise. I have with me Bhava Pahuda and Apta Mimansa translated and commented upon by the latter, still lying unprinted and published because there is nobody to finance the publications.
The Jainas are an affluent community. But their concept of charity is limited to building of new temples and consecration of new images. In each consecration, the life drama of a Tirthankara is enacted-his conception, his birth, his renunciation and austerity, his omniscience and his niravana. The five events in a Tirthankara's life are enacted with great eclat and aplomb and the expenditure runs into lakhs. I am told today there are more idols than worshippers.
It is a pity that the Jain Journal has to fend for funds. At present, it is being run on advertisements and stray donations. As per 1981 Census the Jaina population is 31,93,000. Out of these, at least one lakh know English. Jain Journal should have had one lakh subscribers, against a paltry figure of a hundred. Till the hiatus of 90,000 is filled, I can only say, "O God ! Forgive them for they know not what they do."
K. B. Jindal Advocate, Lucknow
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