Book Review

Summary

1. Reconciling Yogas by Christopher Key Chapple This volume is a modern scholarly re-examination and English translation of Haribhadra Sūri's Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya, an 8th-century Jain text engaging with diverse yoga systems of Buddhism, Vedānta, and Jainism. The book consists of seven analytical chapters followed by a full English translation of 228 verses of Haribhadra’s work, co-translated with John Thomas Casey. Key highlights include: i) Haribhadra’s integration of multiple yogic philosophies under the Jain ethical framework, especially the nonviolence principle and the five fundamental vows. ii) Comparative study of Jain, Buddhist, and Vedāntic metaphysics, including Haribhadra’s critiques of Buddhist momentariness and Vedāntic monism. iii) Distinctive treatment of yogic purity and liberation from the Jain perspective. iv) Identification of contemporaneous yoga traditions such as those of Bandhu Bhagavadatta (likely Śaiva Advaitic) and Bhadanta Bhāskara (likely Buddhist). v) Charts and tables drawing parallels between Jain gunasthānas and Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga yoga. The translation is subdivided into thematic clusters including types of yoga, critiques of tantra, role of scripture, distinctions between worldly and liberated states, and classification of yoga practitioners. 2. Essays in Jaina Philosophy and Religion, ed. Piotr Balcerowicz This is a compilation of fifteen scholarly papers presented at the International Seminar on Jainism (Warsaw University, 2000). Only ten essays are strictly Jain-focused, exploring a wide array of doctrinal, philosophical, and textual themes: i) Albrecht Wezler examines Dvādāśāranayacakra of Mallavādin and its ontological-linguistic construction of the twelve nayas. ii) Jayandra Soni compares how Kundakunda and Umāsvāti implicitly employed anekāntavāda without directly naming it, focusing on naya, syādvāda, and epistemic contexts. iii) Christoph Emmrich studies Jain conceptions of kāla (time) using canonical and philosophical texts, especially Kundakunda's atomistic temporal model linking samaya, dravya, and pudgala. iv) Phyllis Granoff explores narratives of Jain interactions with non-Jain deities and their eventual integration into Jain narratives through past-life stories. v) Adelheid Mette details monastic hygiene protocols (pariṣāvana-vidhi), reflecting Jain ecological sensitivity. vi) Luitgard Soni traces the ethical rule of upagūhana (covering others’ faults), showing its textual evolution and social-political implications within Jain ethics. vii) Colette Caillat provides an overview of yogic values in Jainism through the lens of Joindu’s portrayal of the ideal yogi. viii) Nalin Balbir and John E. Cort study the literary works of 17th–18th century Jain writers Samayasundara and Dayāntaray in Sanskrit and Hindi. ix) Additional contributions from Kristi L. Wiley, Muni Jambuvijaya, Padmanabh Jaini, Kenji Watanabe, and Johannes Bronkhorst offer comparative and doctrinal insights, though some are noted as less stimulating in argumentation. 3. Les Jains Aujourd’hui Dans Le Monde by Pierre-Paul Amiel (in French) This is a comprehensive survey of Jainism across the globe written for French-speaking audiences. It comprises nine thematic chapters and seven annexes: i) Covers Jain history, sectarian divisions, sacred literature, temple distribution, and rituals. ii) Explains philosophical concepts, hymns, symbols, and monastic-lay distinctions. iii) Highlights Jain contributions in fields such as art, architecture, science, and economics. The book stands out as a foundational French resource on Jainism, comparable in scope and utility to English-language standards like Dundas’ The Jains or Jaini’s The Jaina Path of Purification.