________________
PREFAOL
13* the Vedic (including the Brāhmaṇas) and Upanişadic thought-currents, really point out to the existence of an indigenous stream of thought, call it for convenience the Magadhan Religion, which was essentially pessimistic in its worldly outlook, metaphysically dualistic if not pluralistic, animistio and ultra humane in its ethical tenets, temperamentally ascetic, undoubtedly accepting the dogma of transmigration and Karma doctrine, owing no racial allegiance to Vedas and Vedic, rites, subscribing to the belief of individual perfection, and refusing unhesitatingly to accept a creator.
The Prakrit text of Pravacanasāra is presented as preserved in the commentary of Jayasena who is the earliest known commentator to pay attention to textual accuracy. Only to throw some side-light on the dialectal aspect of the gāthās two other mss. have been collated, and their readings are given at the end. All possible care is taken to print accurately the text and the commentaries.
The English translation is as literal as possible, and it is attempted on strictly philological lines. Pravacanasärce is translated here for the first time, and so I am perfectly alive to the tentative character of my translation. Professor FADDEGON'S English translation of the text and Amrtacandra commentary (Ed. by Dr. F. W. THOMAS, Cambridge, 1935) reached my hands very late, when all the forms of my Translation and Introduction were printed off. I have always taken into consideration, when using English equivalents for Jaina technical
ms, the proposals of earlier translators of Jaina texts like STEVENSON, Ja HBI, HOERNLE, BARNETT, GHOSHAL, JAINI, CHAKRAVARTI and others; section times, with due deference to them, I have adopted other words
ylgt h. beared to me more significant and connotative. Along with the ;,; ylion, only a few elucidatory notes have been added. In the e a systematic analysis of the contents is given under alphabetically
arranged technical terms. A general Index of the Introduction is added at the end to facilitate further studies.
the outset I offer my thanks to the late lamented M AR HARALAL Shastri, the first editor of the two Sanskrit commen
taries. I am highly obliged to the authorities of the Rāyachandra Jaina S'āstramālā, especially to Shetha MANILAL REVASHANKAR JHAVERI, without whose munificent encouragement my studies about Kundakunda would never have seen the light of day. To Prof. HIRALAL JAINA, King Edward College, Amraoti, my thanks are due for his valuable
ng and corrections in proofs from time to time. I am thankful
