Book Review: The Jaina Path of Purification

This review evaluates Padmanabha S. Jaini’s seminal book ‘The Jaina Path of Purification’ (Motilal Banarsidass, 1979; reprinted 1990). The reviewer begins by emphasizing Jainism’s immense contributions to Indian culture over 2,500 years in fields ranging from philosophy and religion to art and cosmology. Scholars such as H.T. Colebrooke, A. Weber, H. Jacobi and others have unearthed many Jain texts, but much remains unpublished. Jaini’s book is presented as a significant addition to Jain studies. It consists of nine chapters (plus preface, glossary and bibliography) and surveys the life of Mahāvīra, outlines basic Jain doctrines and explains the ‘path of purification,’ whereby adherents aim to purify the soul of karmic defilements. The reviewer notes that Jaini draws extensively on primary sources while also considering secondary scholarship. In discussing sectarian differences, the book explains that Digambaras see nudity as essential for monks, whereas Śvetāmbaras allow monks to wear simple garments; Jaini also discusses the status of women, noting Digambara beliefs that women must be reborn as men to attain liberation. Chapters detail the Jain mendicant order, lay vows, metaphysics, cosmology and ethics. The reviewer commends Jaini’s balanced approach and his success in making complex doctrines accessible to both scholars and lay readers. The book highlights how Jainism’s doctrines of non‑violence and non‑absolutism contribute to broader Indian thought.

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