Agam Sampadan Nu Dushkar Karya

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Agam Sampadan nu Dushkar Karya" by Punyavijay:

The text is an excerpt, likely a lecture or address, given by Punyavijayji on the occasion of the release of the first volume, "Nandisutra and Anuyogdwar" (नंद्रिमुत्त अनुगोगाारावुन) in the "Shri Jain Agam Granthmala" series, published by Shri Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya, Mumbai. The lecture, delivered on February 26, 1968, in Ahmedabad, discusses the arduous task of editing Jain Agams.

Punyavijayji begins by acknowledging that much has already been said by other learned speakers and expresses a desire for feedback and identification of errors in their work. He admits that despite considerable effort, the scale of the task means errors are inevitable, posing a significant challenge to completing the monumental work flawlessly. He explains that the current initiative is driven by the inspiration gained from available resources, study of ancient manuscripts (bhandars), literary criticism, and interactions with scholars.

He humbly states that they cannot claim their editing is complete from a global scholarly perspective. He emphasizes that he is not working alone, highlighting the dedicated efforts of colleagues like Dal Sukhbhai and P. Amritlal, who are deeply involved in the project day and night. These colleagues have been instrumental in keeping the work moving, especially during the period when Punyavijayji's eyesight was impaired due to cataracts. He notes the slow progress, with only one volume released in seven years since the idea was conceived in 1960, and wonders when the entire work will be completed.

Punyavijayji then addresses the challenge of adhering to scholars' current in-depth analyses of specific subjects, stating that the sheer volume of work necessitates setting boundaries and preparing the Agams within defined parameters. He references the significant contributions of scholars like Dr. Schubring, Dr. Leumann, and Dr. Āsada, mentioning Dr. Āsada's recent articles on the Thiparinna (थीपरिन्ना), a critical publication in a foreign journal, with its Gujarati translation featured in the golden jubilee issue of Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya. He points out that even Jain monks might not fully grasp the poetic nature or meter of texts like Thiparinna, and they themselves haven't reached that level of understanding.

He explains that the purification of texts involves collating various Agams and comparing numerous manuscript copies. While a comprehensive critical edition of all Agams is not immediately feasible, collecting ancient ideals can help in finding purer texts, which forms the basis of their current work. He acknowledges that their approach is somewhat faith-oriented, and while faith can sometimes hinder original thought, considering variations in readings while respecting faith allows for deeper contemplation.

The editing process involves more than just comparing individual manuscripts. It includes examining quotations, citations, ancient practices, and instances where commentators, churnikars, tippanakars, and vruttikars have referred to or cited passages from the Agams. They strive to produce accurate texts by comparing all published Agams with available ancient palm-leaf manuscript copies.

A significant challenge they face is when a researcher interpolates a passage into a text where it seems necessary. They question the appropriateness and origin of such insertions. To resolve this, they meticulously examine manuscripts from important collections in Jaisalmer, Patan, Deccan College, Surat, Vadodara, and also the ancient manuscripts from Khambhat, to verify where readings have been established over centuries. Their consistent method is to compare each ancient text with numerous manuscripts for the editing of each Agam.

Punyavijayji earnestly requests scholars to review their work and point out any errors in their editing methodology. He states that while they receive much praise, finding scholars who highlight their mistakes is rare, and they would welcome such constructive criticism to improve their future publications. He reiterates the collaborative nature of the project, emphasizing the crucial support and dedication of his colleagues, without whom the work would not be possible.

He draws a parallel to ancient times, quoting Abhayadevacharya, who wrote about the preparation of pure Agam texts and the examination of various readings before composing commentaries. He cites Abhayadevacharya's sentiment about the difficulty of choosing the correct reading from numerous variations due to the multiplicity of recitations, the impurity of manuscripts, the profoundness of the sutras, and differing opinions. He explains that variations, both minor and major, have arisen over centuries due to script changes, scribes' lack of understanding, and scholars' unfamiliarity with the language.

Despite these challenges, Punyavijayji states that they have utilized the intellect bestowed by Vitragdev (the liberated souls) in their service. He concludes by humbly asking for forgiveness for any errors, acknowledging the inherent difficulties in such an undertaking.

The last two pages are largely illegible scanned pages of ancient Jain texts, possibly related to the Agams or commentaries, and don't contain narrative text to summarize. However, the mention of "Vastupal" and a date "V.S. 1288" on page 4 suggests a connection to historical Jain figures and manuscripts found during renovations.