Reviews

This review covers the book "Aspects of Jain Religiousness in Comparative Light" by L. M. Joshi, published by the L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, in 1981. The book presents a series of three lectures delivered in February 1981 in the L. D. Lecture Series. The first two lectures deal with anuprekṣās (soteriological reflections), and the third concentrates on the pañca-namaskāra-mantra (sacred formula of five-fold obeisance) in Jainism, focusing on its history and religious purport. The introduction to Lecture I points out the specific characteristics of the śramaṇa tradition, inclusive of both Jainism and Buddhism, as against the Brāhmaṇical one. The next section records in detail references to twelve anuprekṣās in different Jaina texts, together with variations in ordering and/or nomenclature. Sections III and IV discuss the meanings assigned to anuprekṣā and its related terms: bhāvanās (occurring also in Buddhism and Hinduism), smṛti, and anusmṛti (found only in Buddhist texts in the technical sense of contemplation). Finally, section V gives translations of the 12 Jaina anuprekṣās and an elucidation of their purpose or utility, viz., that of inspiring renunciation of desires which promotes detachment and dispassion, thereby serving as one of the six agencies of saṃvara (stoppage of influx of impure karmic matter into the soul); and upon accomplishment, takes the individual one "step nearer to the ultimate goal of life, viz, attainment of the eternal bliss of Release (mokṣa or kevala). Lecture II provides a detailed study of the themes of 12 Jaina anuprekṣās as depicted in various texts, along with extensive comparisons with related Buddhist concepts, and Brāhmaṇical ones wherever possible. The introduction to Lecture III elaborates on the concepts of Religion and Faith, consisting that a creed such as Jainism, although not believing in a personal god, can still qualify as a dharma (religion)—menm 6 Anac inunlua Faith nnt in snd Kot in tha faschines Af ehe T. Section I tells us of the most important and fruitful manifestation of faith in the Jaina creed, viz. obeisance to the holy pentad (pañca-parameṣṭhin). The author reviews various versions of the formula of this five-fold obeisance throughout canonical and non-canonical Jaina literature, scrutinizing carefully the textual structure of each formulation. He also points out the close association of the namaskāra-mantra with another Jaina formula: that of catuḥ-saṃvaraṇa, i.e. fourfold refuge in arhats, siddhas, śrāvakas (including also the ācāryas and upādhyāyas) and in dharma. On pp. 52-3, Dr. Joshi explains why the obeisance-formula invokes first the arhats (accomplished sages) and then the siddhas (released souls), although the latter are soteriologically superior as per Jaina thought. He also points out texts wherein is found the reverse order as well. Sections III through VII discuss one by one the Jaina concepts of the arhat, siddha, ācārya, upādhyāya and śrāvaka (the pañca-parameṣṭhin-s) in great detail on the basis of various textual references. Section VIII offers comparative references to Buddhism as well as Brāhmaṇical concepts underlying the same terms, if available, (Thus guru, a synonym of ācārya in Jainism, is used for a specific esoteric preceptor in Tantric Buddhism and sects of the Nūṭha School, Various sects of medieval "santa-mata" regarded the guru as the very image of god

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