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Dr. Hoernle's Letters
(1) Mr. MAGANLAL DALPATRAM,
Calcutta 22nd Sept. 1888. DEAR SIR,
I have received your letter of 17th inst. & postcard of the same date. I address this letter to Muni Atmărămji as you wish me to do.
In reply to the Muni's inquiry my statement about the Dasha Shruta Skandha was a mera guess-work. I daresay it is wrong. But I should like to learn from the Muni where the verses may really be found.
With regard to the expression Vajra-rishabha-nārācha ( 9TH
&c. I translated it " with joints as hard as diamond, as strong as a bull & as straight as an arrow.” This is merely meant as a literal translation ; & I do not know what the word is really meant to express. You seem to think that the translation is totally wrong. I daresay, it is ; & I should feel extremly obliged to the Muni if he would be good enough to explain to me, what the expression really means & where that explanation may be found. . By the way, if I understand the Muni's explanation correctly he means to say, that during the eleven months, of the Sramana-Chula Pratimas, a person must keep all the eleven Pratimas for regular terms for 1 day, for 2 days, 3 days & so forth upto 11 days. But is this not inconsistent with a Shraman's profession? For example in the 5th Pratima-pratima (farfal, it is said that a person to a certain extent enjoys his wife except on the 8th & 14th days. But surely a Shramana should abstain entirely. How can therefore a Shramana Chula person keep that Pratima for five days ?
If you can procure me an early reply, I shall feel exceedingly obliged to your self as well as Muni Mahārāj. Pray give my best compliments to Muni Mahārāj Atmárāmji,
Yours truly
A. F. Rudolf Hoernle I have written to Bombay for a copy of the Muni's valuable work Jaina Tattvadarsha, Shatabdi Granth ]
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