Padarth Prakash Part 01 Jeev Vichar Navtattva

Author(s): Hemchandrasuri
Publisher: Sanghvi Ambalal Ratanchand Jain Religious Trust

Page 7

FOREWORD
In ancient times, people had sharp intellect. So, they could remember everything just by listening. But, as the time passed the intellect of people started declining. So, the acharyas decided that all the scriptures should be written on paper for their preservance, otherwise the scriptural knowledge would be totally demolished due to the weakening of memory day by day. On the other hand, many tender-hearted acharyas composed many scriptures by collecting elements from the Angasutras. The acharyas in the lineage composed prakarana scriptures by collecting elements of various subjects fromthe Agam scriptures.
Many such prakarana-scriptures are existent today. Among these the knowledge of Jeevvichar, Navtattva, Dandak, Sangrahni, Three Bhashyas, Six Karmagranths, Kshetrasamas, Brihat Sangrahni etc. is very much essential to become familiar with Jain-doctrines. Even today the study of these prakarna-scriptures is widespread in the Jain Sangh.
Along with the knowledge of Sanskrit Grammar and logic-scriptures, if one has learned the above mentioned prakarana-scriptures, he can easily read the Agam-scriptures. Those who lack the knowledge of these prakarana-scriptures, they have great difficulty in reading the Agam-scriptures