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AUTHOR'S NOTE
When I began my study of Jain texts I felt the urgent need of consulting some of the important Buddhist texts and commentaries to clear up some intricate points. In this monograph I have tried to present a critical account of the principal Jain canonical texts in the light of my comparative study of both Buddhist and Jain texts. As regards the contents of the Jain canonical sūtras, they are traditionally known as the provocanus of the Jinas, particularly those of Mahāvīra, precisely as the main contents of the Pali Nikāyas are known as the sayings of the Buddhas, particularly those of Gautama. Their chief interest, therefore, lies in the clear presentation of various topics relating to the lives of the Jinas and their teachings. An attempt has been made here to acquaint the reader with the fundamentals of early Jainism as outlined in the Jain canon as well as some other interesting and relevant information.
In the first chapter I have given a general account of the Jain canon, and in the following chapters a detailed treatment of some of the important Jain sūtras has been made. Such a study is a long-felt want, and I believe that the present publication will remove it to a certain extent.
I am grateful to Dr. E. J. Thomas of Cambridge for his (rudite Introduction, and I am also thankful to Mr. B. S. Nahar, B.A., for helping me with some Jain books whenever asked for. I am very much obliged to the authorities of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society for including this monograph into their series.
43 Kailas Bose Street,
Calcutta 6. 1st January, 1949.
B. C. LAW.
