Acharya Hasti Mala
Jain Legend is the verbatim English translation of series of four volumes Jain Dharma kā Maulika Itihāsa (abridged) in Hindi edited by Sh. Gajsingh Rathod. The original voluminous Jain Dharma kā Maulika Itihāsa was authored by venerable Ācāryaśrī Hastīmala Jī M.S., the foremost ācārya of Sthanakavasi tradition of Jain congregation.
We have been extremely careful in maintaining the content of Jain Dharma kā Maulika Itihāsa (abridged) as it is without any changes / or adding comments by us so as to retain the authentic writings of Ācāryaśrī Hastīmala Jī M.S. Thus the English translation carries his scholarship and research over an extended period of over twenty years.
In this English edition, we have tried to keep some of the definitive terms of Jainism as they are and give their English equivalent (as much representative as possible) on the first occurrence and also listed at the end of this note. To appreciate their understanding and pronunciation, we have used diacritical marks for legendary names of persons / texts / places and the definitive Jain terms e.g. aṃga meaning the limb or part and commonly written as anga, etc.
We express my thanks to following translators and other support staff members for their contribution to bring out Jain Legend
| 1. | Dr.(Ms.)Uma Maheshwari | Translation Volume I |
| 2. | Mrs. Prasanna Kumari | Translation Volume II & IV |
| 3. | Dr. Shugan C. Jain | Translation Volume III |
| 4. | Mrs. Niti Jain | Diacritical marks editing |
| 5. | Ms. Chanchal Jain | Word Processing, Composing |
| 6. | Mr. Sushil Jana | Word Processing, Composing |
We request you, the august reader of this series Jain Legend, to please bring out any errors (spelling and the texts) and suggestions for improvement in language and choice of words to our notice for improving the next edition of this book.
Given below are the abbreviation, diacritical marks and some Jain definitive terms used in the books to enable the reader understand and enjoy the content and comprehend the same better.
Abbreviation:
V.N. Vira Nirvana: Calendar, starting after the liberation of Lord Mahavira.
M.S. Maharaja Sahib: Suffix used by Jains after the name of their preceptor / monk as a sign of respect / veneration.
Diacritical marks used
| Ā | 'vk' | 'a' | like in dark |
| Ī | 'bZ' | 'ee' or 'ii' | like in steel |
| Ū | 'Å' | 'uu' or 'oo' | like in school or you |
| Ś | ''k~' | 'Sh' | like in Shine |
| ḍ | 'M~' | 'D' | like in band |
| Ṇ | '.k~' | 'N' | like in hand |
| Ṃ | 'ka vuqLokj' | Short n, nasal | |
| Ṭ | 'V~' | 't' | like in tea |
| Ṣ | '"k~' | 'S' | like in shut |
| ṛ | '_' | 'Ri' | like in Rishi |
| Jṅ | 'K~' | 'Gy' | like in Vigyan |
| Kṣ | '{k~~' | 'Sh' | like in kshama |
| ḥ | '% folxZ' | 'h' |
Jain definitive words used frequently
Ācārya - Preceptor monk and leader / head of a Jain congregation / group
Āgama - Scripture
Avasarpiṇi - Half time cycle in which the happiness keeps on decreasing; the other half, Utsarpini has happiness increasing
Bhaṭṭāraka - Administrator monk; Yati and Śrīpujya are other words used by Svetambara Jains.
Caityavāsī - Temple dweller
Caitya - A place / thing having venerable sign / representation, e.g. footprint, name, idol, photo, auspicious sign like flag etc. generally a holy emblem / place.
Dwādasāṃgi - Twelve limbs of the scriptures bead on Lord Mahavira's sermons and composed by his chief disciples (Gaṇadharas)
Ekādaśāṃgī - Eleven limbs of above accept the 12th called Dṛṣtīvāda (very voluminous and comprehensive).
Gaṇa - Group. A group of monks and sub division of congregation
Gaccha - Sub group. Sub division of Gaṇa.
Kevalī - Omniscient
Kalyāṇaka - Auspicious event in the life of a ford maker (five in number namely conception, birth, renunciation / initiation, omniscience and liberation)
Lokāntika deva - A type of celestial beings who will attain liberation after one more birth, i.e. whose worldly existence is almost at the end
Mokṣa - Salvation / liberation; Pure soul without any material karmas and body
Nirvāṇa - Liberation / salvation; Attainment of bliss
Pūrvas - Fourteen in numbers; Canons prior to Lord Mahavira; Contained in the 12th limb as well.
Śrāvaka - Votary (male); Believer and practitioner of Jain ethical-spiritual code; Householder / laity are other synonyms used.
Śrāvika - Votary (female); Similar as votary
Saṃgha - Congregation
Samavaśaraṇa - Religious congregation / assembly of a ford maker
Tīrthaṃkara - Ford maker, Rejuvenator of the Jain creed 24 in present time cycle' Mahāvīra is the 24th Tīrthaṃkara.
Upādhyāya - Holy teacher, Monk, teaches scriptures to fellow monks.
Varṣa - Year /Annual
P.S.Surana
President
Samyakjňāna Pracāraka Maṇḍala
Email:
Shugan C. Jain, Ph.D
Director
International School for Jain Studies
Email:[email protected]
Date: January 18th 2011 (Birth centenary of Ācāryaśrī Hastimala Jī)
