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PREFACE
The Jain International has great pleasure in offering to the world of students and scholars the present work on the Jaina philosophy and religion by Late Virchand Raghavji Gandhi, a brilliant exponent of Jainism at the World's Parliament of Religions held at Chicago in 1893 A.D. This publication is a part of the centenary celebrations of that first Parliament.
The work opens with an illuminating account of cultural environment in which Jainism is fostered. Then it deals with the fundamentals of Jainism. It expounds the Jaina view regarding the soul, universe, God, Karma (moral causation), spiritual evolution, good conduct, and methods of analysis (nayavāda) and synthesis (syādvāda). The presentation is authentic and rational, inspiring and thought-provoking, convincing and lucid. It reveals Gandhi's deep and extensive study of the subject. It bears testimony to his power of comprehension, his philosophical acumen and his profound learning.
Dr. Nagin J. Shah, former Director of L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmeadabad, deserves special thanks for editing the present work. We thank Dr. Kumarpal Desai, our colleague, for shouldering the responsibility of the production of the work. Our thanks are also due to Dr. L. V. Joshi for carefully checking the
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