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study of the doctrine of liberation, and point out a few points of agreement and disagreement among the four religions.
My thanks are due to the authorities of the Punjabi University, Patiala, for permitting me to carry on research studies under the supervision of Dr L.M. Joshi for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Humanities and Religious Studies. As a Jaina monk it was not possible for me to stay on the campus of the University for a period of two years prescribed by the University. I appreciate the helpful gesture of the Punjabi University authorities in permitting me to observe the monastic rules of my peripatetic life while preparing this doctoral dissertation.
I am grateful to the Venerable Sri Gian Muniji Maharaj, my religious preceptor, who initiated me into the mysteries and and monastic niceties of Jainism. Several other eminent Jaina monks of Panjab, including Muni Phul Chandji śramaņa, Muni Hem Chandji Maharaj, Muni Padma Chandraji Bhandari, Kaviratna Chandan Muniji, Sri Vimala Muniji, and Sri Ratna Muniji have been a source of inspiration in my religious and academic life. I am grateful to them all.
In the course of preparation of this thesis I received help and encouragement from Dr A.N. Sinha, Lecturer in Jainism, Department of Religious Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala. I record my gratitude to him, Prof. Nathmal Tatia, formerly Director, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, very kindly went through a large portion of the second draft of this thesis and made valuable suggestions for its improvement. I thank him also.
It needs no mention that I am indebted to numerous Indian and European scholars whose works on Indian religions and philosophies I have freely consulted during the course of writing this book. A list of names of these scholars along with their works will be found in the bibliography given at the end of this volume.
I would like to gratefully remember the names of Sri Padam Chander Shastri and Acharya Krishna Chanderji of Panchakula for helping me in my study of several original Jaina texts. Sri Ravinder Kumar Jain of Malerkotla deserves my thanks for his services rendered with zeal and devotion. Finally I have to express my appreciation and sincere thanks to Sri Roshan Lalji who, in spite of his old age, has attended to me and helped me in my work with remarkable unselfishness. My sincere thanks are due also to a number of devout men and women who took good care of my requirements
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