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Books on Jainology

Vol. 6 · No. 2Oct 1971pp. 7–8English

Summary

This article, "Books on Jainology," is a bibliographic review that surveys a selection of scholarly works dedicated to the study of Jainism. The subject of the review is the recent and contemporary literature on Jain history, philosophy, education, and biography available in the early twentieth century. The main argument of the article is to catalogue and briefly describe these texts, highlighting their specific contributions to the field for the benefit of researchers and students. The evidence presented consists of a list of published books, each accompanied by details such as the author or editor, title, publisher, place of publication, year, page count, and price. The sources discussed in the author's own terms are diverse, covering foundational religious texts, historical studies, and biographical dictionaries. The text explicitly mentions *Dasavealiya Sutta*, edited by K. V. Abhyankar in 1938 and E. Leumann in 1932. It also lists *The Vivagasuyam*, edited by V. J. Chokshi and M. C. Modi in 1935, and *The Antagada-dasio and The Anuttarovavaia-dasao*, edited by M. C. Modi in 1932. For the historical and educational dimensions of Jainism, the review discusses Devenndranath Dasgupta's *Jaina System of Education* from 1942, which examines the period from the time of Rsabha to Acarya Hemacandra in the 11th century A.D. The article also covers B. A. Saletore's *Mediaeval Jainism with special reference to the Vijayanagara Empire* from 1938, a study of the religion's propagation from the Ganga kings to the Vijayanagara Empire. Furthermore, it includes Sinclair Stevenson's *The Heart of Jainism* from 1915, which provides a comprehensive summary of the religion's history, philosophy, and customs. Finally, the review notes Umrao Singh Tank's *A Dictionary of Jaina Biography, Part I—A* from 1917, which alphabetically lists important Jain men and women.

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Conclusion

The reviewed literature demonstrates a rich and multifaceted scholarly engagement with Jainism, encompassing critical editions of canonical texts, historical analyses, and biographical compendiums. Key findings reveal a robust academic interest in translating and contextualizing foundational scriptures like the *Dasavealiya Sutta* and *Vivagasuyam*, alongside comprehensive studies of the Jaina educational system and its historical evolution under medieval Hindu monarchs. The implications of this body of work are significant, as it provides essential primary sources and secondary analyses for understanding Jaina philosophy, social structures, and historical preservation. Ultimately, these publications underscore the enduring importance of Jain studies, offering indispensable resources for researchers to explore the religion's profound intellectual, historical, and cultural dimensions.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “Study of Jainism under the mediaeval Hindu monarchs beginning with the Ganga kings and ending with the Vijayanagara Empire.”
  • “It describes the conspicuous part played by kings, feudatories, nobles, priests, citizens, and women for its propagation and preservation with the aid of contemporary historical records.”
  • “Contains historical summary, the life of Mahavira, Mahavira's predecessors and disciples, history of Jaina community, Jaina philosophy, the nine categories of fundamental truth, karma and the path of liberation, the life story of a Jaina, the Jaina layman and his religious life, the Jaina ascetic, the end of the road, Jaina worship and religious customs, Jaina mythology, Jaina architecture and literature, empty heart of Jainism.”

Works cited in this article

  1. Dasavealiya Sutta
  2. The Vivagasuyam
  3. Jaina System of Education
  4. The Dasaveyaliya Sutta
  5. The Antagada-dasio and The Anuttarovavaia-dasao

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