Book Review – Absent Lord
By Sushil Jain
Summary
In this review Sushil Jain evaluates Lawrence A. Babb’s book Absent Lord: Ascetics and Kings in a Jain Ritual Culture (University of California Press, 1996), which investigates a paradox at the heart of Jain devotion: the Jinas are believed to be liberated beings who neither grant boons nor respond to worship, yet lay Jains invest immense energy in elaborate rituals. Drawing on ethnographic work among Śvetāmbara Mūrti‑pūjak communities, Babb surveys a range of rites from household worship to the spectacular 1994 Mahāmaṣṭakābhiṣeka at Śravaṇabelagola. He organises the book into five chapters. The first narrates the lives of the twenty‑four Tīrthaṅkaras and describes the ascetic conduct of monks and nuns; the second shifts focus to the worshipper, analysing how offerings, hymns and processions are performed despite the absence of reciprocal exchange. A third chapter examines Babb’s fieldwork in Jaipur, while a fourth discusses legendary warrior‑kings who renounced the world. In the final chapter Babb contrasts Jain rituals of ‘giving and giving up’ with Hindu devotional practices, arguing that Jainism’s transactional vacuum reflects its emphasis on asceticism and non‑violence. Sushil Jain praises the book’s clarity and sympathetic tone, noting that it joins other recent works by scholars like Robert Banks and James Laidlaw in portraying Jainism as a dynamic tradition rather than a world‑rejecting religion. Although he points out minor typographical errors and occasional gaps—such as the unexplained story of Neminātha’s renunciation—he regards Absent Lord as an important contribution to Jain studies. The book reveals how Jain rituals function without the expectation of divine intervention and highlights the community’s rich liturgical life. Overall, the review recommends Babb’s study to both scholars and general readers interested in South Asian religions.
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Conclusion
The reviewer concludes that Absent Lord is a valuable addition to the study of Jain ritual culture. By demonstrating how worship occurs in the absence of reciprocal transactions, Babb illuminates the unique spiritual logic underpinning Jain devotion. Sushil Jain commends the book’s ethnographic richness and theoretical insight while noting a few minor errors. He suggests that the work, alongside other contemporary studies, has helped shift perceptions of Jainism from a purely world‑renouncing faith to one with vibrant communal practices, and he urges anyone interested in religion or ritual to read it.