Agam 17 Upang 06 Chandra Pragnapti Sutra Chandapannatti Terapanth

Author(s): Tulsi Acharya, Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 56

Acknowledgement of Collaboration
The tradition of councils in Jainism is very old. As many as four councils had been held before the period that ended ere a millennium and a half from now. After the time of Devardhigani no well-organised council was held. The Agamas committed to writing in his time were disorganised to a very great extent in this long interval. A fresh council was therefore a desideratum. Ācārya Sri Tulsi made an attempt at holding a Comprehensive Consentaneous Council, but could not succeed. Ultimately we arrived at the view that our Council will serve the same purpose, if it was based on impartial research and complete dedication to the cause of truth. We started our work in accordance with this resolution.
The chief inspiration to this council is the Acarya Sri. The council is a deliberative assembly headed by an eminent personality who combines in him. self a variety of functions, the chief among them being teaching and instruction, translation, investigation, critical study, sorting out correct reading and so on.
We enjoyed the active cooperation, guidance and encouragement in all these activities from the Acārya Sri. This indeed was our strength and support for undertaking such an arduous task
Instead of feeling relieved of the burden by expressing my gratitude to the Acārya Sri, it would be better for me to feel more burdened by the support of his blessing for the future work and responsibility.
In editing the text of the nine upãngas in the present volume I received sufficient cooperation from Muni Sudarshanji and Muni Hiralalji.
In the work of ascertaining the readings in Pannavanā and Nirayāvaliyão, Muni Balchandji and Muni Madhukarji respectively offered assistance. In preparing the press copy, Late Mannala lji Borad also proved helpful.
The work index of Pannavaņā has been prepared by Muni Srichandji, of Jambuddivapannatti, Sūrapannaiti and Candapannatti by Muni Sudarshanji and of Nirayāvaliyão by Muni Hiralalji. The first Appendix and the extent of the text was determined by Muni Hiralalji. In preparing the word indexes of Pannavanā and Jambuddivapaņgatti, Sadhvi Jinaprabhā and Sadhvi Chandanbālā respectively contributed a lot.
In proof-reading Muni Sudarshanji, Muni Hiralalji, Muni Dulaharajji and Samaņi Kusumprajña actively cooperated. At certain stages Muni Vimalkumarji and Muni Sampatmalji also proved helpful. Muni Hiralalji was specially engaged in revising the text again.
I express sentiments of gratitude for all those, in addition to the names already mentioned, who contributed whatever little they could in editing the text of the 32 agamas. In this task we utilised the muss. belonging to the institutions such as L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, Shrichand Ganeshdass Gadhaiya