Jaina Studies: Japan, Europe, India

Kendall W. Folkert provides a survey of the state of Jaina studies across three geographic regions – Japan, Europe and India – at the time of writing. The author begins with Japan, where Indology programmes had been established only in the mid‑twentieth century. Folkert notes the pioneering work of scholars like Minoru Yuyama, who translated portions of the Uttarādhyayana‑sūtra and researched Jaina logic. He also mentions the holdings of Japanese libraries, including palm‑leaf manuscripts acquired from Rajasthan, and highlights collaborative projects with Indian institutions. In his discussion of Europe, Folkert emphasises the long tradition of Jaina scholarship in Germany, France and the United Kingdom. He lists major monographs and editions produced by Hermann Jacobi, Walther Schubring, Ernst Leumann and Jules Bloch, noting their focus on philology, grammar and history. He also points to contemporary scholars such as Colette Caillat and Paul Dundas, who were broadening the field to include sociological and anthropological perspectives. Folkert observes that European universities possess some of the most extensive collections of Jaina manuscripts outside India. Turning to India, Folkert surveys research centres and university departments dedicated to Jainology. He names institutions like the L. D. Institute of Indology in Ahmedabad, the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune and the Jaina Vishva Bharati in Ladnun. He underscores the contribution of Indian scholars such as A. N. Upadhye, H. R. Kapadia and H. C. Bhayani, who combined traditional learning with modern critical methods. Folkert remarks on the active role of lay organisations in funding research and the publication of editions and translations. The article concludes by stressing the need for greater international collaboration. Folkert suggests that conferences and joint research projects could help coordinate cataloguing efforts, share microfilm copies of manuscripts and standardise transliteration schemes. He warns that the rapid decay of palm‑leaf manuscripts threatens the loss of vast amounts of textual material and calls for immediate action. The paper serves both as a status report and as a call to action for scholars across continents.

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