________________ Preface the strength of knowledge (jnana) that is beyond-the-senses (atindriya). Even the best of brains found it difficult to comprehend and assimilate the Truth contained in these. This prompted some prominent and learned acarya, including Acarya Amrtacandra and Acarya Jayasena, to write elaborate commentaries on some of Acarya Kundakunda's works to help the ascetics as well as the laymen understand the concepts and tenets contained in these texts. Fortunate are those who are able to reach, read and assimilate the teachings contained in these Scripture. Acarya Kundakunda is said to have written 84 pahuda but only the ones mentioned above are existent today. All his compositions are in Prakrit language. 'Pancastikaya-samgraha'of Acarya Kundakunda Pancastikaya-samgraha or Pancastikaya-sara or Pancastikaya-prabhrta (known briefly as Pancastikaya and spelled commonly as Panchastikaya) is one of the four most important and popular works of Acarya Kundakunda, the other three being Samayasara, Pravacanasara and Niyamasara. The original text of Pancastikaya-samgraha is in Prakrit language and contains a total of 173 verses (gatha). This profound composition has been divided into two mega-chapters. The first megachapter, titled 'The Six Substances (dravya) including the Five-withBodily-existence (pancastikaya)' has 104 verses. The second megachapter, titled "The Nine Objects (padartha)- and the Path to Liberation has 69 verses, including 20 concluding verses that provide a 'Brief Explanation of the Path to Liberation'. Pancastikaya-samgraha expounds some extremely profound concepts of Jaina metaphysics - the philosophy of being and knowing - including the nature of the pure soul-substance (jivastikaya) which is integral to the seven realities (tattva), the nine objects (padartha), the six substances (dravya), and the five substances with bodily-existence (astikaya). The group of five substances with bodily-existence - pancastikaya - is called the 'samaya'. These five substances, collectively, constitute the universe-space (loka). Outside this universe-space (loka) is the infinite non-universe-space (aloka), comprising just the pure space (akasa). That . .. .. . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . XV
