Jain Journal 1969 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 16

JULY, 1969
understand some of the basic things, notably ajiva dravyas, in Jaina philosophical literature. His more immediate impetus, however, came from G. R. Jaina's Cosmology, Old and New, of which he has made much use in this essay, and also A. S. Jain's translation of Sarvārthasiddhi entitled Reality. Other ācāryas like Kunda Kunda, Amrtacandra, Padmaprabha, Maladharideva, Jayasena, Subhacandra have influenced him at different stages. These will be indicated at the end in the form of an epilogue.
The manuscript was initially presented to Sri M. H. Shah, former general-manager of the Hindusthan Aircrafts Ltd., and the founder of the Nirvanasram, Sravana Belgola. The author desired the manuscript to be forwarded to Dr. A. N. Upadhye, the well-known Jaina scholar, not with a view to its publication, but to know his concurrence with or difference from its thesis ; and in case he concurred, he felt, Dr. Upadhye might like "himself to bring out an excellent, lucid and authoritative volume" on this subject. The manuscript, however, reached Dr. Upadhye through Sri S. D. Vandakudre, a retired principal at Kolhapur. The relevant portion of Dr. Upadhye's communication to Sri Vandakudre is quoted below :
"I have gone through the essay carefully. The author has a good understanding of some Jaina tenets which he is trying to express in modern terms. The first and the last chapters, with a little retouching, can go as independent article in some magazine ; the matter has to be edited and expression made simpler. There is a Jain Journal published from Calcutta. He may try that magazine.
“The other chapters deal with obscure topics in a more obscure way. Some context I am not able to follow ; naturally it is not correct to say anything more about them.”
While editing and compressing Sri Gajapathi's rather lengthy article, however, we felt attracted to his 'obscure topics', though no effort has been spared to improve upon his 'obscure way to impart readability without in any way affecting, altering or modifying his thesis. The more obvious things in his article have been dropped on account of limitation of space and also because of their being too commonplace or too familiar. To do so, of course, we have the permission from the writer. When the full text is published, which will be another instalment, we would welcome learned comments from our interested readers.
-Editor ]