Jain Digest 2007 04

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 50

Jain Digest. Summer 2007
JAINA E-Library Project Highlight Collection of 650 Religious E-Books (scanned books in pdf format) 250,000 pages of Jain Literature
EDUCATION
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Jain Swetämbar Agams Jain Digambar Shästras Commentary Literature on Agams Four Anuyogas Ancient and Modern Jain Literature Shrimad Räjchandra Vachanamrit Pujya Kanji swami - Songadh - Literature JAINA Education Books (Päthashälä and Reference Books) Available at JAINA Convention 2007 (July 5 to 8 at New Jersey) Background The Jain philosophy is eternal but from time to time various great sages known as Tirthankars have continually modified the Jain code of conduct and practices based on time, place, and circumstances. Approximately 2500 years ago, Lord Mahavir, the twenty-fourth and last Tirthankar of this era, has re-established such Jain religious order. Lord Mahävir's preaching was compiled orally into many texts (sutras) by his disciples. These texts are known as Jain scriptures or Jain Agams or Jain Agam Sutras. Later on many Acharyas have compiled orally commentaries on Agam sutras. The Agam sutras, commentaries, and other ancient Jain literature were written down for the first time approximately 1000 years (500 AD) after Lord Mahävir's nirvana. Since then the ancient hand-written and modern printed Jain literature has been preserved by its lay followers in various independent religious libraries (Jnän Bhandär) and private homes for centuries throughout India. This literature exists in various languages such as Ardha-Mägadhi-Präkrit, SaurseniPräkrit, Sanskrit, Prachin-Mahärästri, Hindi, Gujarati, Kannad, Tamil, many other Indian languages, German, and English. During the course of time significant literature was destroyed due to various problems that existed in storage facilities. To protect and preserve the existing literature and to provide reference material to our Päthashälä teachers and academicians the Education Committee of Federation of JAINA, North America, has launched a JAINA E-Library project. Under this project the Jain literature will be scanned and converted electronically into E-Books and stored on the websites or in other electronic media which has unlimited life expectancy.
DES
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Education International
wwwjanielibrary.org