Dr. Samani Chaitanya Pragya
I express my deep sense of reverence and gratitude to the greatest saint of modern times Anuvrat Anushasta, Acharya Shree Tulsi, who has made unparalleled efforts to revolutionize the Jain precepts and concepts and reformed the Jain society. His Holiness Acharya shree has been not only a stalwart of the Jain society but a bulwark too and has established Institutions like Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (Deemed University), which is unique of its kind in India and the world. He was an institution in himself and one of the greatest personalities of modern India who made invaluable and endeavoring contribution to contemporary religious thought and social advancement.
I also express my humble sentiments to Acharya Mahapragya, the able successor of His Holiness Acharya Shree Tulsi and a philosopher of an international stature who has enriched the world of Jainism enormously with his creative contributions. It is the lives of these two great men who provided me the needed inspiration and encouragement to embark upon this rather arduous and uncharted course of study.
I have had the fortune of enjoying the blessings of these two revered Acharyas in my research work in Jainology specially their commentary on the Bh.S which helped me a great deal to interpret this encyclopedic work in the light of modern scientific discoveries.
I am equally indebted to the Mahasramani Shree Kanakprabhaji, Head of all the nuns of Terapantha sect for inspiration and blessings, which can not be expressed in words.
During the writing of this thesis, my own understanding of Jain mystical thoughts in particular and other philosophical systems in general and of the science like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Psychology and Parapsychology was deepened considerably. For this I feel highly indebted to Prof.
Muni Mahendra Kumar ji, my informal guide and the academic mentor Prof. B.B. Raynade, the formal guide. Muni shree Mahendra Kumarji opened my eyes to many aspects of science and philosophy, which I was not familiar with before. He brought to my understanding many facts of Jain Philosophy that were quite abstruse and beyond my comprehension and also those discoveries in modern science, which had a comparative relevance. His book "Microcosmology: Atom in Jain Philosophy & Modern Science" has been the main source for presenting the concept of Matter and Atom in the light of science. Prof. Raynade not only enlightened me in the methodology of my research study but also provided me the necessary guidance as to what and where I could get relevant materials and how I could utilize them. I am equally grateful to Prof. Musafir Singh, HOD of Social Work, who has reviewed the whole thesis and suggested additions of some important scientific issues, which had been left out unknowingly.
In the same way I would express my grateful thanks to Muni Shree Amrit Kumar ji, the elder brother and Samani Nirvan Pragya, the elder sister who have always been helpful in my work.
I also express my profound thanks to all the saints, samanis (nuns) who directly or indirectly helped me in this research work. I would specially like to regard my thanks to the Niyojika Mangal Pragyaji who ever strived to remove all the obstacles which came in my way. I would also express my indebtedness to other elder and younger samanis namely Madhur Pragya, Malli Pragya, Amit Pragya, Ruchi Pragya, Mukti Pragya, Manjula Pragya, Karuna Pragya, Punya Pragya and Dr. Anil Dhar, Nirmal Choradiya and Sashi Chajjer for their kind co-operation and timely assistance.
I also express my thanks to the former Vice-chancellor and eminent scientist Prof. B.C. Lodha and the Registrar Dr. Baccharaj Dugar for their unstinted support for the computerizing of this work. I express my heartily thanks to the present V.C. Ms. Sudhamahi Regunathan who assisted for editing and publication of this work.
I owe my special thanks to Nimai Charan Tripathy who computerised the work so gladly and painstakingly.
Finally, I am also very much grateful to Sukharaj, Babulal, Tribhuvan, Ashok Kumar and Ramesh Kumar Singhi, Gandhidham (Gujarat) who are kind enough to provide economic-assistance in the memory of their father Amarchandji Singhi.
