Book Reviews
By Satya Ranjan Banerjee
Summary
This section reviews important scholarly works on Jain scriptures and philosophy. The first review discusses the latest edition of the Śthānāṅga‑sūtra edited by Muni Jambū Vijayaji with Ācārya Abhayadeva‑sūri’s commentary. It praises the edition for incorporating palm‑leaf manuscripts and additional commentaries such as Sumatikallola’s Gāthāvivaraṇa and Harsanandanaganji’s Gāthāvivaraṇa, noting that the quality of printing in Devanāgarī script enhances readability. The reviewer regards it as a significant improvement over the 1985 edition and recommends it to students of Jain studies. The second review examines Hemacandra’s Pramāṇa‑mīmāṃsā edited by Nagin J. Shah, which presents the Sanskrit text in Roman script alongside an English translation, introduction and philosophical notes. The reviewer highlights Hemacandra’s contribution to Jain logic and commends Shah for rendering the work accessible to scholars through careful editing and explanatory commentary. The section also reviews the Āpta‑mīmāṃsā of Samantabhadra in Shah’s translation, emphasising that Shah’s notes enhance the value of this critique of authority and that the edition is recommended for students of Anekānta logic. Additional remarks mention translations and editions of other Jain texts in Gujarati, Hindi and English, underscoring ongoing scholarly engagement with Jain logic and philosophy. Collectively, the book reviews appreciate the meticulous scholarship of editors and translators who produce critical editions and translations that deepen understanding of Jain canonical literature.
Conclusion
The book review section highlights the vitality of Jain scholarship by evaluating new editions and translations of key texts. Praising editors like Muni Jambū Vijayaji and Nagin J. Shah for their meticulous work, the reviewer underscores how critical editions and accessible translations of the Śthānāṅga‑sūtra, Pramāṇa‑mīmāṃsā and Āpta‑mīmāṃsā enrich the study of Jain logic and scriptures. The conclusion encourages readers to engage with these scholarly works, which preserve and illuminate Jain intellectual heritage.