About the Book This book is a collection of the Speeches and Writings on Karma Philosophy delivered by Virchand Raghavji Gandhi (1864-1901), a contemporary of Swami Vivekanand and Mahatma Gandhi, a forgotten Indian scholar, who represented Jainism at the first World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago, U.S.A. in 1893. The Jains of all shades of opinion believe in the Law of Karma, to which every soul that is not yet emancipated, is subject. First published in 1913, an exhaustive work specially dealing with Karma, as it is understood by the Jains, this volume would be of immense use to the students of Jainism. No vivid and real idea of Jainism can be formed without a thorough conception of the law of karma. The present edition is thoroughly recomposed in its original format with the main objective of providing a better print and attractive text.
Preface I did not expect at the time when I first thought of bringing out the speeches and writings of the Late Mr. V. R. Gandhi, that they would furnish material for as many as more than three volumes. These were supplied to me by Mr. Umarosing Tank of Delhi, the late Mr. Virchand Dipchand, and Mr. Maneklal Ghelabhai of Bombay; for which I am deeply thankful to them. As a result the first volume entitled "The Jain. Philosophy" was published in the year 1911. After its publication, the trustees of the Seth Devchand Lalbhai. Jain Pustakoddhar Fund were pleased to include "Yoga Philosophy", the embodiment of the rest of my collected materials, in their series, which was published by them. These two publications were welcomed by Western scholars and readers, who took interest in the Jain theology and literature, which was a matter of great satisfaction to me. When "Yoga Philosophy" was published, I was in the dark if there were any further speeches and writings of Mr. Gandhi. However the materials embodied in this volume were supplied by Mr. H Warren of London, which are on the Karma Philosophy. The Jains of all shades of opinion believe in the law of Karma, to which every soul that is not yet emancipated, is subject.
Introduction Jain literature, comprising as it does almost all the branches that are characteristic of ancient Indian literature, holds no insignificant niche in the gallery of that literature. It is considerable even as it is at present, and was more so in former times. This is not the proper place to enumerate the great writers and their works that constitute the glory of that literature. The fact that the Jain writers had flourished in great abundance in times gone by, is evident from the vast stock of literature that has survived to this day, though it is yet in an unexplored state. Their eminence in subject matter as well as language is manifest to those who are conversant with it. Along with Indian literature at large, Jain literature too has been a participator in the unhappy fate it met with at the hands partly of alien bigotry, and partly of mutual religious jealousy and from the peculiarities of the climate. There was a time when there was no other alternative to secure the very existence of such literature but that of burying it in subterranean archives. The very method employed for the safety of the works became later on instrumental in further diminishing the stock and that at a time when there was not the least chance of its being further enriched.
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