A Study of the Bhagavatī‑sūtra
By Satya Ranjan Banerjee
Summary
The review of Suzuko Ohira’s monograph “A Study of the Bhagavatī‑sūtra: A Chronological Analysis” praises the author for undertaking a meticulous study of one of the most important texts in the Śvetāmbara Jain canon. The Bhagavatī‑sūtra has 45 chapters; Ohira analyses the first 20 and argues that chapters 21–41 are later accretions. The reviewer notes that the main theme of Ohira’s study is the chronological stratification of the first 20 Śatakas of the Bhagavatī. She divides her book into four chapters, each further subdivided. Ohira discusses the jīva–ajīva relations, cosmology, astronomy and mythology found in the Bhagavatī and treats the concepts of karma and bandha in detail. Drawing on A. Weber and other scholars, she compares early and later compilations of the Bhagavatī and improves upon Weber’s model by providing a systematic and historical analysis. The reviewer concludes that Ohira’s monograph is logical, exhaustive and presents an improved version of earlier studies. Her contribution is commended as a significant addition to the annals of Bhagavatī studies.
Conclusion
Ohira’s chronological study of the Bhagavatī‑sūtra provides a rigorous, improved analysis of this canonical text. By examining the earliest and later strata, the monograph deepens scholarly understanding of the Bhagavatī and invites further research.