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A Śramapa, well progressing in spiritual development becomes in a position to govern the external activities of his senses, mind and body as a whole. He may not allow his external eyes to see, let they may remain open, the ears to hear, the nose to smell and so on. He can remain without food and water as long as he so desires. He can remain without sleep. Even his body remains unaffected by weather and environment. In the coldest day, his body needs no clothing, in hotest and in rains no shelter. It is, what the Mahasramana Vardhamana Mahavira experimented for more then thirty years in his life and propounded his successful results of experiment for the welfare of humanity. He codified the Śramanacára and organised the śramana-samgha.
The present work of Dr. Phool Chandra Jain is a welcome step in the field of study of Jaina monachism. He has elaboratly and analytically dealt with the contents of entire ancient Prakrit text of mulācāra and thoroughly compared with other works belonging to both thc Jaina sects. Though some protions of the text have been studied by some German scholars, this is the first study of complete text. Detailed referencing from original sources, further substantiate the study and make it more authentic,
I am sure, in coutinuation to the 'History of Jaina Monachism' by Praf. S.B. Deo, this work 'Malācāra kā samikşātmaka adhayana' by Dr. Phool Chandra Jain will be considered a valuable further step in the field of the study of Indian inonachism in general and Jaina monachism in particular. I sincerely congratulate him for this study and hope, he will come forward with more masterpieces in coming years.
Dr. Gokul Chandra Jain Head, Department of Prakrit & Jaināgama S. Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya Varanasi,
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