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10
THE SYSTEMS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
a versatile personality combined with a catholicity of outlook.
Shri Virchand Gandhi was one of the extraordinary Indians of his time. He was a scholar and an eloquent speaker and represented Jainism at the Parliament. During his stay of about two years in U.S.A. he delivered numerous lectures not only on Jainism, but also on the other systems of Indian Philosophy. He made them realise the sublimity of Indian Culture through his objective stance.
Gandhi's exposition is so lucid and brilliant that no serious student of Indian Philosophy in general and Jaina Philosophy in particular, can afford to ignore it or fail to be impressed by it.
In his lectures on Jainism, Shri Gandhi enumerates what he considers to be the four questions basic to all philosophical investigations:
(i) What is the nature of the Universe ? (ii) What is the nature of God? (iii) What is the nature of and what is the destiny of Soul ? (iv) What are the laws of Soul's life?
In his treatment of Jainism, he seeks to give the answer to these questions from Jain view point. His exposition of various systems of Indian Philosophy is faithful and his clarity praiseworthy. Gandhi explains as to what a particular system has to say on a specific problem. The lectures reveal his deep understanding and extensive study of the subject.
These lectures were carefully edited by Dr. K. K. Dixit, a sincere student of Indian and Western Philosophy as well as a proficient Scholar of ancient Indian languages-Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali, etc., and published in a book form as “The Systems of Indian Philosophy” in the year 1970 A.D.
We are priviledged and happy to publish this second edition on the eve of the Centenary of the Parliament of the World's religions and thereby commemorate the memory of this noble son of India, Shri Virchand Raghavji Gandhi who was probably the first exponent of Jainism in the west.
We are thankful to Dr. Kumarpal Desai, Shri Nemubhai Chandaria (U.K.), and Shri Pravinbhai K. Shah (U.S.A.) for their kind assistance and guidance and for some additional features that we have been able to incorporate in this edition.
PRATAP BHOGILAL
C. N. SANGHAVI June 21, 1993 Ashadh Sud Bij, Vikram Samvat 2049
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