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The Unknown Pilgrims
This is a very serious study of the great ācāryas of the spiritual lineage of Mahāvira, from the most ancient times to our own day. The book is divided into two parts. The first, which is quite brief, is a retrospective survey of the epoch in which each ācārya lived. The second, which deals direcily with the ācāryas using the surest available sources of tradition, is divided into three lengthy chapters:
- Chapter 1: the ācāryas of the time of the Agamas, which was the age of oral transmission, of the first written commentaries and the final version of thcm, a period taking us up to Acārya Ksamāśramana (VIth c.).
- Chapter 2: the eminent ācāryas of the Golden Age, authors of various valuable works (up to the XVth c.).
- Chapter 3: thc ācāryas of a new era (from the XVth c. to our own day.).
One hundred and twenty ācāryas are presented, together with the various documents which concern them. Each is denoted by a highly expressive cpithet which precedes his name and conveys to us straightaway a lively ideas of his personality. A biographical note, longer or shorter as the case may be, helps place the ācārya in the context of his own day, discern his role in the samgha and his influence upon his contemporaries, while a brief review, clear and as complete as possible, gives us information about the written works of the ācārya in question. In chapters 1 and 2, at the end of each review, one finds, whenever reference has been made to a passage in a particular text, the original, in Prakrit or Sanskrit, of this said text.
The book concludes with two appendices. Appendix 1 gives in two columns the name of each acārya and references to the sources upon which the study concerning him is based. Appendix 2 consists of a bibliography, arranged in alphabetical order, of the works consulted. In this, it is regrettable that the dates of the publications mentioned are not given.
Sådhvi Sarnghamitrā has, with the utmost care, accomplished an immense task, of great importance and usefulness for seekers of knowledge. This type of study, can well be set alongside the works of
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