Books on Jainism
Summary
This section offers annotated notices of recent books relevant to Jain studies, highlighting the breadth of current scholarship. Among the historical works is B.K. Tiwary’s History of Jainism in Bihar, which traces the religion from the era of Mahāvīra through the Maurya and Gupta periods and includes a detailed bibliography. Linguistic resources include an edited Glossary of Jain Terms produced by Jain International, presenting Romanised terms with diacritical marks, their Devanāgarī equivalents and English meanings, and a selection of works on Apabhraṃśa and Prakrit: P.S. Jain’s Prākṛta Apabhraṃśa aur Saṃskṛti, Devendra Kr. Shastri’s Apabhraṃśa Bhāṣā Sāhitya kī Śodha‑pravṛtti, and U.C. Jain & S. Sisoriya’s edition of the Prākṛta‑vyākaraṇa Āgama, which presents Hemacandra’s sūtras and vṛttis without commentary. Literary and philosophical texts receive attention as well. The list notes a verse translation of the Vītarāgastava of Hemacandrācārya, Pampa’s five‑act Prakrit play Candralekhā‑Vijayaprakaraṇam edited by Muni Pradyumna Vijayagaṇi, and K.R. Chandra’s Hindi translation of the Ācārāṅga, which aims to restore the original Prakrit language. Other entries include Jozef Deleu’s Vijñāpanatti, K.V. Mardia’s The Scientific Foundations of Jainism, and S. Chaudhuri’s comprehensive Index Internationalis Indicus cataloguing Indic and Buddhist studies. Brief notes introduce works on cosmology and law such as the Siddha‑Hema‑Śabdānuśāsanam with Madhyama‑vṛtti and avacūrī commentaries, Somadeva Sūri’s Yaśastilaka‑campū and Nitivākyāmṛta, Pushpadanta’s Mahāpurāṇa and Yaśodharacarita, and the serial Nigrantha, a tri‑lingual journal covering research on Prakrit and Jainism. Each notice records bibliographic details, pagination and price, guiding readers to resources for historical research, linguistic study, devotional literature and comparative religion. Collectively these summaries show the vitality and diversity of contemporary Jain scholarship and provide a valuable bibliographical guide for researchers and enthusiasts.
AI-assisted summary, not yet checked. Consult the original PDF before citing.
Conclusion
The bibliographical survey concludes by emphasising that recent publications span history, language, literature and philosophy, reflecting the richness of Jain studies. By drawing attention to scholarly editions of classical texts, linguistic tools and modern analyses, the list encourages further research and preserves the traditions of Jainism for new audiences. It also underscores the collaborative efforts of scholars, editors and institutions dedicated to disseminating Jain culture and provides readers with a convenient roadmap for exploring the expanding field of Jainology.