The Pravachanasara — 'The Essence of the Teaching' — distills the heart of the Jain path into a work of startling clarity and depth. Written in the second century by the great Digambara master Kundakunda, this Prakrit classic gathers the timeless teaching of the Jinas into a luminous guide to seeing reality as it truly is. With a rigorous yet inviting voice, Kundakunda leads the reader from the everyday world of the senses into the soul's own serene and knowing nature. He explains the two standpoints from which truth may be approached, the five kinds of knowledge, the real nature of the soul and of the substances around it, the workings of karma, and the disciplined conduct by which liberation is won. This new edition renders the classic into warm, clear, present-day English while remaining faithful to the original's meaning and spirit. An introduction and appendices help today's reader step easily into a world-famous work of Indian wisdom. Part of The World Scriptures Library.