Soul Science Part 01

Author(s): Parasmal Agrawal
Publisher: Kundakunda Gyanpith

Page 19

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XVIII
Foreword
Acārya Kundakunda's Samayasāra is a treasure of Jain philosophy and soul science. Professor Paras Mal Agrawal in this book presents an English version of the first 144 stanzas of this great treatise. Besides the English translation of original stanzas, Dr. Agrawal has also attempted to explain the stanzas by using simple examples including some of those given by Acārya Amṛtacandra and Acārya Jayasena in their commentaries on Samayasara. The subject matter at some places requires a technical understanding of the basics of Jain metaphysics. This requirement has been fulfilled by a brief description of such concepts in the Appendices. A reader would note that this book deals with the philosophical concepts in a lucid, concise, and practical manner. It can be helpful to a person in making the life purposeful which may result in the reduction in unhappiness, fear, and tension.
In the past 30 years, on various occasions I had opportunities of sharing the stage with Dr Agrawal. His interest in the spiritual science, his indepth understanding of original Jain scriptures in Samskṛta and Prākṛta, and his convincing and logical style in simple language always impressed me. Here again one will note the same. While explaining Gāthā 6, Dr. Agrawal presents an example through a dialogue between a father and a son. Similarly, Gāthā 13 dealing with nine Padarthās has been illustrated by some examples: just as to identify the oranges placed in a basket with lemons, one not only needs the understanding of oranges but also needs an understanding of lemons, and just as to identify one's plot (a piece of land or a lot) one needs to understand the boundaries between one's own plot and those of neighbors, in the same way to understand the soul one also needs to understand non-souls. We see many such illustrations and similes in the book.
Acarya Kundakunda in this treatise Samayasāra provides the value of the relative point of view (Vyavahāra Naya) as well as the real point of view (Niścaya Naya) in understanding the Self (soul). Such an