Ourselves

Summary

The opening editorial sets the tone for the July 1969 issue of the Jain Journal. After bowing to the last srutakevalis who extracted the sacred Dasakalpa and Vyavahara from the ninth Purva, the editor introduces the main themes. He recounts the tradition that Bhadra Bahu, last of the srutakevalis, migrated to Nepal during the reign of the Nandas where he preserved the fourteen Purvas; his disciple Sthulabhadra codified these into the eleven Angas at the Pataliputra council. The Digambara tradition holds that Bhadra Bahu led an exodus of monks to South India during a twelve‑year famine under Chandragupta Maurya. Rather than fuelling sectarian controversy, the editorial invites scholarly investigation. Nepali scholars are encouraged to search their literature for references to Bhadra Bahu’s journey. Such research could bridge the current cleavage between Svetambara and Digambara traditions and forge deeper links between India and Nepal. The editor then highlights a curious object mentioned in several Jaina texts: the ratna‑kambala, a jewel‑blanket whose mechanism kept the user cool in summer and warm in winter. This luxurious blanket, imported from Nepal, was so expensive that even the Magadhan king Bimbisara found it difficult to purchase. The editorial calls on historians to determine whether there are analogous references to the ratna‑kambala in old Nepalese literature. Beyond these examples, the editorial emphasises the need for cooperation between scholars from India and Nepal to explore shared Jain heritage, to publish discoveries, and to illuminate neglected chapters of Jain history. It encourages contributions that bridge textual scholarship with archaeological findings and underscores the non‑sectarian spirit of inquiry. Concluding, the editorial expresses the journal’s commitment to academic rigor and cultural understanding, inviting further research on Jainism’s links with Nepal and the preservation of unique artefacts. The piece frames the issue as part of a broader dialogue about preserving and interpreting Jain history and culture.