Jain Journal 2003 04

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

Page 26

Book Reviews
205 Singhi Jaina Granthamala (No. 9) in 1939 from Ahmedabad-Calcutta. Originally the English translation of Professors Mookerjee and Tantia was published in Bhārati Mahāvidyālaya Publications Jaina Series (No.5) in 1946 from Calcutta. It was only the English translation, and no Sanskrit text was accompanied with it. It also contains the English translation of Pandit Sukhlalji's introduction and notes in Hindi (known as Bhāṣā-tippanāni) done by I. H. Jhaveri and K. K. Dixit which was originally published in Indian studies, Past and Present, vol II, No 2 and 3 edited by Debiprasad Chattopadhyay which was issued as a seperate book in the name of Advanced studies in Indian Logic and Metaphysics in 1961. Thus it should be regarded as a complete book on Hemacandra's Pramāna-mimāṁsā coupled with all possible good expositions written by the best scholars on the book.
Satya Ranjan Banerjee
Apta-mimāṁsā of Samantabhadra--text edited by Nagin J. Shah along with English translation, Introduction, notes and Akalanka's Sanskrit commentary Astašati, Sanskrit-Sanskriti Granthamālā No. 7, B-14, Dev Darshan Flats, Nehru Nagar Char Rasta, Ambawati, Ahmedabad - 380 015, 1999, price 108.00.
Samantabhadra's book, Apta-minānisā, is a mature contribution of a mature scholar, Nagin J. Shah, who has rendered a great valuable service to the scholars of Indian philosophy with particular reference to Jain logic. Nagin J. Shah has translated into English Samantabhadra's Apta-mimārsā (Critique of an Authority) along with Intoduction, notes and Akalanka's Sanskrit commentary Astasati. It goes without saying that the notes and comments of Nagin J. Shah have greatly enhanced the value of the book. In his Introduction several points have been elucidated. In his Foreword N. J. Shah has nicely summed up the basic contribution of Samantabhadra : “Samantabhadra laid a firm foundation of Anekānta logic and his Apta-mimānisā provided a model for subsequent authors for criticising onesided philosophical views." Apta-mimamsā has a good fortune of being commented upon by such stalwarts of Anekānta logic as Akalanka, Vidyānanda and Yasovijaya. Akalanka's commentary called Aștašati, though elaborate enough, is not too elaborate to understand the philosophy of Samantabhadra. Hence it is included in the present work. It is not a word-by-word commentary on Apta-mimamsā. In this edition the editor has done his job well. This edition is recommended to the scholarly world.
Satya Ranjan Banerjee
ucation International