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(IX) as well as on international plane, the primordial historical truth of Ahimsa which Jainism for the first time discovered like the law of gravitation of the living universe. If we want to keep intact the coun:less cultural heritages of Man and if we want to develop the creative possibilities of mankind to its fullest extent, we must discard the inhumane, nay, canniballistic path of war and violence and take to the path of non-violence as pointed out by the immortal preceptors of Jainism. Such a cause deserves the support and collaboration not only of all men and women of about 20 lacs of Jains scattered all over India, but also of all serious workers in the cause of human welfare, in fact, all servants of humanity in the East as well as in the West.
The dream of my esteemed friend, Mr. Chhote Lal Jain, and his colleagues, is to develop such an up-to-date centre of studies on Jaina religion and culture as would be able to give all facilities for research to men and women of all nations irrespective of caste, creed or clime. We know that some western ladies actually joined the order of Jain Nuns and the catholicity of Jainism is remarkablc even in this age. Moreover, we can count upon the deepseatcinstinct of philanthropy which is ingrained in the Jaina
comsunity; and so we hope that the idea of developing a world * centre of research or non-violence in the projected seat of
Jain rulture would soon materialise and that all organisations in the Fast and the West that are striving to make World Peace a reality would come forward to help my esteemed friend, Mr. Chhote Lal Jain and his colleagues. His first volume of Bibliography will. I am sure, rouse the attention of many scholars to this much-neglected field of research and, I am sure, the publiccations by the Vīra śāsana Samgha that will follow will sustain the interest thus aroused. Though the work of Mr. Jain is a preliminary work of compilation, he has spared no pains to make the book as useful and attractive to the general readers as possible. I wish him all succeess in his noble mission.
Kalidas Nag.
u1th July, 1945. Çalcutta
