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Preface
Not content with the observance of the partial vows of a kşullaka, and realizing the necessity of a more rigorous life of restraint and austerity in his spiritual advancement, Kșullaka Pārsvakīrti varni took to the arduous path of Jaina asceticism (muni dīkşā) on 25 July, 1963, in Delhi, when he was christened Muni 108 Vidyānanda by his guru Acārya 108 Deśabhūsana. He became a digambara' muni, free from all vestige of cloth and other worldly appurtenance. A digambara ascetic (nirgrantha muni) since last fifty-five-plus years, Ācārya Vidyānanda dwells in the soul within through the fire of concentration. He meditates on the self, through the medium of the self. He meditates on the pure, effulgent soul through the instrument of his soul imbued with the 'Three Jewels' (ratnatraya) - right faith (samyagdarśana), right knowledge (samyagjñāna) and right conduct (samyakcăritra)- of the path to liberation. He does not deliberate for long on any task inimical to the soul-knowledge. If due to any reason he must undertake some activity of speech and body, he performs it with indifference. He experiences discontent in external sense-objects and happiness in contemplation of the soul-nature. He reckons that no substance other than the soul is potent enough to either assist or obstruct the functioning of the soul. By thus renouncing attachment (rāga) and aversion (dvesa), he has built a shield around his soul to protect it from extraneous influence. He is ever engaged in concentration (ekāgratā), and study of the Scripture. Conventionally, concentration is to establish the soul in the "Three Jewels' (ratnatraya), or the three limbs (anga) of the soul. From the real point-of-view, however, the soul is one whole (angī), without-parts (abheda). Concentration is the means to savour the nectar found in own soul. It is said that the study of the Scripture bears the fruit of meditation through subjugation of the senses (indriya) and the passions (kaşāya). As a rule, the study of the Scripture destroys the heap of delusion (moha). This explains his deep inclination toward the study of the Scripture. Acārya Vidyānanda has showered me with his divine blessings whenever I took up any project involving work on the Holy Scripture. His divine blessings have had wondrous effect in making both, the process as well as the end-result, most gratifying for me. I bow my head in utter reverence to Acārya Vidyānanda.
(xli)
