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the depth of understanding that are characteristic of the Jaina philosophers do not justify spanning the tradition within a meagre two hundred pages, but it is hoped that a proper understanding of the spirit of the tradition can well be promoted by treating (however briefly) important aspects of it not merely with the intention of offering an exposition of the subject-matter but with the idea of working out a proper interpretative approach to the whole tradition. Rather than claiming that interpretation is the keycharacteristic of the present work I submit that my prime concern in the book has been to maintain that if we can deftly remove the sheath of ordinary understanding of the tradition by getting an access to the spirit behind the concepts, the significance of Jainism as a whole can well be grasped. A few pages on the Anuvrata movement, inaugurated by the living Jaina saint Acarya Tulasi, it is hoped, will illustratively signify that the age-old Jaina concepts can still be revived and made meaningful in the context of the contemporary situation.
I must record here my thanks to my students who by their innocent curiosity and earnest desire to deeply understand the tradition stimulated my own thinking and made possible the writing of the book. My thanks are also due to the publishers who evinced a keen interest in bringing out the book and for expeditiously executing the work. Before concluding let me record here my deep appreciation of the pains which my wife Uma took to help me while I was editing the book and especially for the preparation of the Index and the Bibliography.
PREFACE
May 26, 1973
Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy, University of Madras, Madras 5
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