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INTRODUCTION
the name of this Acarya Pädaliptasüri. This is the traditional belief recorded in Jaina works."
Importance of the edition-publication of the present work
By the publication of this volume, the complete text of Jyotiskarandaka has become available, moreover this complete text. has been corrected with the help of possible means. On this account scholars of this subject will be specially benefitted by this publication. For the elucidation of this point, I give below an indicative point of information, shunning the temptation of writing at length.
In the text of Jyotiskarandaka, formerly published along with vṛtti, at one place a disorderly and corrupt gatha has been printed. Forty eight years ago Shri B. R. Kulkarni was puzzled on this gatha. An article written by him and published in the monthly named Jaina Satyaprakása" in 1997 V. S. Aṣädha Number (Year 6 No. 11), being inspiring, is translated here in its entirety into English from Hindi.
IMPORTANCE OF THE ANCIENT JAINA LITERATURE FROM THE HISTORICAL STANDPOINT AND NECESSITY OF ITS RESEARCH
Author: Shri B. R. Kulkarni, B. A., Shirpur (Western Khandesh)
Attention of the non-Jaina scholars is being drawn gradually to the ancient Jaina Literature. It is sad that the labour the Eastern and the Western scholars have put in in the study of the Jaina literature is many times lesser than the labour they have put in in the study and research of the Buddhist religion. Though scholars have already agreed that the Jaina religion is older than the Buddhist religion, in the text-books taught in schools and colleges there occur statements contrary to this. It is claimed by the Jainas that their religion is eternal. But how can they make such a claim based on faith only if they compare their claim with the claims of the followers of other religions? In the modern intellectual world
3. See Jñänäñjali, 'Hindi tatha Sanskrit Lekha Vibhaga', pp. 25-26, published in 1969 A.D. by Sagara Gaccha Jaina Upāśraya, Baroda.
4. Statements such as the Jaina religion is later than the Buddhist religion and Lord Mahavira is the founder of the Jaina religion are found in many text-books.
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