The stories in this collection span almost 1,000 years of storytelling in India. Most originate in North India and all were written by Jain monks for the education and amusement of the faithful. Jain literature is both rich and varied. Stories were told in verse and prose, in Sanskrit and in vernacular languages. Some resemble simple folk tales while others are as sophisticated as courtly romances. The stories in Jain literature are about holy men and holy places, famous kings and courtiers and those not often heard in ancient and medieval India - women and toiling villagers.

The treasures of India's heritage of storytelling are known to us today mainly from these Jain stories which have been carefully preserved through the years. The stories in this book have been translated by a renowned group of scholars from India, North America, and Europe. Each translator has chosen his or her favourites from the vast treasures of Jain literature.