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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.orgAcharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
PREFACE
This work of which the first instalment is now published, grew by way of a digression from our monograph- Asoka's Dhamma, a landmark of Indian literature and religion', which is still in course of preparation. The digression took place at a point where the question of the bearing of Asoka's inscriptions and teachings on the Dhammapada class of Buddhist literature had to be discussed. The original plan was to re-adjust the verses and fragments and correct the readings in M. Senart's edition, wherever necessary and possible, chiefly in the light of the extant Pili and the Sanskrit parallele. The idea of a complete edition with notes, translation and introduction was not conceived until after an interview with the Hon'ble Justice Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, President of the Post-Graduate Couocils, who was kind enough to discuss with us the detail of the plan of the work, inspiring us to undertake the work and finish it by all means. We are happy that the undertaking is now fulfilled, although we do not doubt that the execution of the work would have been far more satisfactory, if placed in better hands.
It is especially gratifying to us that we have been able to re-edit a work which excited so much interest since its first publication about a quarter of a century ago and publish a greater portion of it fortunately during the lifetime of the illus. trious M. Separt who ushered it into existence. The world will
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