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GACCHĀCĀRA PRAKĪRṆAKA
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
Ardhamāgadhi Jaina Āgamic literature is a valuable treasure of Indian culture and literature. It is unfortunate that due to the non-availability of suitable translations of these works, both, the laymen as well as the learned scholars were unfamiliar with them. Of these agamic works, the Prakīrṇakas have almost been unavailable even though they are of an ancient origin and are predominantly spiritual in their content. We are fortunate that Mahavira Jaina Vidyalaya, Mumbai has already published the original texts of these Prakirnakas duly edited by Muni Śrī Punyavijayaji, but in the absence of suitable translations in modern Indian languages, they were generally inaccessible to the lay readers. It is for this reason that the Coordinating Committee of the scholars of Jainology had decided to accord priority to the translations of the canonical texts and allotted the task of translating the Prakimakas to the Agama Samsthāna. The Samisthäna has, to date, translated fifteen Prakīrnakas into Hindi and published them for the benefit of the inquisitive readers.
However, those western and Indian readers, settled abroad, who don't read and understand Hindi, are still deprived of the contents of these enlightening works. We are happy to see that Colonel Dalpat Singh Baya has translated the 'Gacchäcāra Prakīrṇaka int English for such readers as well as for them that would enjoy reading them in English as much, if not more, as in Hindi. The exhaustive preface and original text with foot-notes have been taken from the Hindi edition of the work prepared by Dr. Suresh Sisodiya, and edite by Prof. Sagarmal Jain. We are indebted to them.
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