Jainthology

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

Page 10

Foreword
The Jainthology, a Silver Jubilee Volume of the Jain Journal, is a collection of twenty-five articles selected from the past issues of the Jain Journal as a mark of the completion of the twenty-fifth year of its existence. Generally, most of the Silver or Golden Jubilee volumes are published on the basis of the fresh and new articles summoned from some present scholars of the subject. But this Silver Jubilee Volume is actually the reprint of some 25 articles which have already been published in the different issues of the Journal for the last 25 years. This is an excellent idea, unique of its kind and singular in its nature, which shows the personality and the originality of the Editor. It is, indeed, true that the articles published here have still some values and are the perennial sources for Jaina religion, philosophy and culture. As the articles published in the Jain Journal are of high standard and indicate a deep understanding of the subject, there is no harm in reprinting those articles which seem to be rare and important on the one hand, and valuable and outstanding in the domain of Jainistic studies and research on the other. It is not the time of the articles that is counted much for determining their worth, but the quality of the contents which has some lasting and permanent values for future generations to judge. A careful look at the contents of the volume will at once reveal the veracity of the statement.
The erudite editor of the Journal, Sri Ganesh Lalwani, has selected some 25 articles from the past issues of his Journal for representing 25 years of its existence. It seems that there is a philosophy behind the selection of these articles. First, the editor has selected only those articles which are vast and varied, and rare and uncommon in Jaina thoughts and ideas. Secondly, the editor thinks that because of the uncommon and varicoloured nature, some of the articles collected here might have passed into the land of oblivion during the progress of the Journal. Lastly, it may be regarded as one of the noblest ideas to celebrate the Silver Jubilee Volume by means of one's own treasures (ganga-jalenaiva gangā-püjā). It is, perhaps, with this idea in the background that the editor has selected only 25 articles to commemorate the 25 years' progress of the Journal. The articles of the volume are manifold. It embraces the themes on the history and prehistory of