Agam 05 Ang 05 Bhagvati Vyakhya Prajnapti Sutra Part 01

Author(s): K C Lalwani
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 10

TRANSLATOR'S FOREWORD
Tirthankara's words can be understood by one who is himself a master of supreme knowledge. As the Bhagavati Sutra contains words that have been attributed to śramaņa Bhagavān Mahāvira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of the Jainas, and preserved (recorded much later) by a line of spiritual teachers and monks starting with the great Sudharma who is accredited with its authorship, the implication of these words has not only been difficult to understand, but still more so to recommunicate through the medium of an alien tongue by one who claims no expertise for the job, and who, even otherwise, is no more than an ordinary human being. And yet the task has been necessary, since, of late, some studies based on portions of this Sūtra have started appearing, but, in view of their restricted scope, they focus attention to only a fraction of this great work, and may be misleading or misunderstood unless the whole work which, apart from depicting the life of Mahāvīra and his relationship with some of his predecessors and contemporaries, contains a lot in the form of Sadhana, Caritra, Siddhānta, Anya-tīrthika, Vijñāna, Itihāsa, Dar sana, Ganita, Kutühala, Deva, Näraka, Anyajīva, etc., etc., is presented through a convenient medium. This is the principal justification for this effort. The task has been undertaken in all humility in the fervent hope that, despite its many limitations and shortcomings which are perhaps inevitable in a single-handed work of this magnitude, this English version may open a new window on an encyclopaedia of the very best in Jaina scholarship, whose name has been known to many, though not many have really been attracted to it on account of an insurmountable linguistic barrier.
The Bhagavati Sutra has been a colossal work, bigger in size than all the remaining Jaina Agamas taken together. Scholars have expressed diverse opinions about it. According to B. C. Law, the Bhagavati Sūtra is a "Jaina canonical mosaic of various texts”. Winternitz has described it as "a motley mixture of ancient doctrines and traditions with numerous later additions”. W. Schubring has compartmentalised the whole