Jaina Karmaology

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 6

Acknowledgements
It has been my desire for long to place before the wider world of scholars and general readers some important Jaina texts through English which could give a little deeper understanding of Jinistic concepts through logically amenable methodology. Nothing could be a better text than the explanatory of “Tattvārtha Rājavārtika” forming an exhaustive commentary on the first Sanskrta aphorismic sacred text called “Tattvārtha Sūtra' (Aphorismic Treatise on Reals) of Acārya Umāsvāti (-mi) of third century A.D. by the eighth century Akalanka, a shining star in the galaxy of Jaina scholars of not only his time but of all times. It was fortunate that the INSA approved my proposal to move in this direction in stages. I have worked sincerely on the first stage of this translation work of chapters 2 and 5 of the text dealing with physical and biological sciences in the field of Jainology by technique of question-answer-type with supposed to be very common terminology. I do not know how far I have been successful in my endeavour.
This volume forms the first part of the second stage of chapter 8 dealing with one of the most important theories of the Jainas- the “Karma theory”. I have followed the same technique in its rendering into English as in the first stage. I have tried to be faithful to the text, still there might be slips of conceptual or linguistic nature due to my ignorance in the complexity of topics dealt with. I hope for suggestions for correcting or improving this stage from the wider readership.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge my grateful thanks for the follwing institutions and persons who have been helpful to me in different ways and at different stages of this uphill task. I hope they will render similar guidance and cooperation in my future academic adventures too : I. Dr. A.K. Bag, History of Science Division, INSA, Delhi-2.
Dr. Sagarmal Jain, Parshvanath Vidyapeeth, Varanasi-5. 3. Pt. Padam Chand Shastri, Vir Seva Mandir, Delhi-2. 4. The Principal, Govt. Girls College, Rewa-1.