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Publisher's note
After Tīrthamkara Mahāvīra and his chief disciple Gañadhara Gautama, the name of Ācārya Kundakunda is recited just before initiating any auspicious work by Digamber Jains. This is evident from the following popular verse which is recited:
Mamgalam Bhagavāna Vīro mamgalam Gautamo Gaṇī, Mamgalam Kundakundādyo Jain dharmostu mamgalam.
The scriptures written by Ācārya Kundakunda before two millennia constitute great treasure of knowledge and inspiration for his disciples. The list of scriptures written by Acārya Kundakunda includes the following:
1. Samayasāra, 5. Rayaņasāra 2. Pravacanasāra 6. Bārasāņupekkhā 3. Pamcāstikāya 7. 84-Pāhuţa including Aștapāhuda 4. Niyamasāra
8. Bhakti Samgraha As regards the authorship of Mulācāra and Tirukkulara there is a lack of unanimity among the experts, but some scholars believe that Acārya Kundakunda authored Mulācāra and Tirukkulara also.
. Among all the scriptures written by Ācārya Kundakunda, Samayasāra is regarded as the best. Further, among all the available scriptures written by all the saints, Samayasāra is respected as the best scripture, in the spiritual area dealing with soul science, by the Jains. Samayasāra was written by Ācārya Kundakunda in Saurseni Prāksta language. Its two commentaries in Sanskệta- Ācārya Jayasena's Tātparyavrtti and Acārya Amstacandra's Ātmakhyāti - have also been popular and have been source of inspiration to the Hindi scholars for writing the commentaries in Hindi. Pt. Jayachandji wrote the commentary in Dhundhari language (early version of the modern Hindi). Pt. Manoharlalji (from Padhan-Mainpuri), Pt. Pannalalji Sahityacharya (from Sagar), and Pt. Motichandji Kothari (from Falatan) also translated Samayasāra in Hindi. The translations and commentaries written by these and other scholars and saints provide many valuable dimensions of soul science for contemplation and meditation for the persons knowing Indian languages.
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