Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

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under the Bibliotheca Indica Series. Another Prakrit book Vajjālagga of Jayavallabha, a sort of Prakrit anthology, is edited by Julius Laber with Sanskrit versions in the Bibliotheca Indica Series between 1914 and 44. One English translation of Prabandhacintāmaņi from Sanskrit by C.H. Tawney was also published by the Asiatic Society in the Bibliotheca Indica Series in 1901. It is not possible for me in this short space and time to give a long catalogue to show the contributions of the Asiatic Society to the field of Prakrit and Jainistic studies.
But I shall be failing in my duty if I do not mention the Jaina manuscripts preserved in the Asiatic Society. The Asiatic Society has published three parts of Jaina manuscripts of which one was edited by me in 1987. All these legacies of the Asiatic Society have goaded the authority concerned, particularly the President Professor Biswanath Banerjee, to organise a National Seminar with a new theme which is Narrative Tale in Jain Literature.
Considering all these aspects of the foregoing remarks it can be said that as the Asiatic Society carries a long history and heritage for the dissemination of Prakrit and Jainistic Studies in this eastern part of this country, it is quite in the fitness of things that the Asiatic Society is going to organise a two-day National Seminar to foster the subject in a befitting manner after the lapse of 225 years. I hope the papers to be presented here will stimulate the scholars interested in this branch of Jainistic studies.
We must not forget that Indian Culture is represented by three languages like Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit (including Apabhramsa) and the bulk of literature contained in these three languages. Normally, Sanskrit with a few exceptions was used by the Hindus and their contributions to Religion and Philosophy, Art and Archaeology, History and Literature form the acme of Indian Culture. The Buddhists used the language of Buddha, commonly known as Pali, and contributed a vast amount of literature to different aspects of human culture. The Jainas were the pioneers in using Prakrit and Ardhamāgadhī, the language of Mahāvīra, as a vehicle for preaching their doctrines. In course of time, both the Buddhists and the Jainas used Sanskrit for propagating their doctrines. Besides the