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PREFACE
The publication of this small book is a prelude to the Encyclopaedia of Jainism that the Jain Vishva Bharati is going to publish shortly. It is intended to give an idea of the style of presentation of the subject to be treated of in the Encyclopaedia. The treatment would be historical and comparative throughout, giving, at the same time, a compehensive and critical view of the topic selected for exposition. The chapters of the present book are thus only a part of the article to be written for the Encyclopaedia under the main entry acāra that would describe in detail the nature and principles governing the monastic and the lay orders of the Jainas.
We give below an outline of the plan of the Encyclopaedia of Jainism for the consideration of our readers, inviting suggestions from them for the improvement of the plan as well as the style of treatment and presentation of the subject matter.
A Brief Sketch of the Encyclopaedia of Jainism
1. Critical studies of the different aspects of Jainism and its contribution to the different branches of Indian thought and culture have come out and enriched our knowledge of the learning and culture of ancient India. Exploration of the Jaina Sastra Bhandāras has revealed, in addition to the literature pertaining to Jainism, a number of very important Brāhmaṇical and Buddhist texts which were hitherto deemed irrecoverably lost. Another unique feature of Jainism has been an absolutely unbiased representation of non-Jaina views and extensive quotations from texts which were otherwise lost. A compilation of such views and texts with their critical evaluation from the Jaina standpoint would be a very valuable contribution towards the reconstruction of the history of the religious and philosophical movements that took place in ancient times. For a total and comprehensive view of the contribution of Jainism to Indian thought and culture, a work of reference is urgently in demand which could bring before the scholars of Jainism at one place the vast knowledge accumulated over a century and a half of intense scholarly effort and also give valuable new information from works so far not brought to sufficient light. Our plan of the Encyclopaedia of Jainism would meet this demand of the gradually increasing number of scholars and readers interested in Jainology.
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