Jain Book Review
By Bhuvanendra Kumar
Summary
Book Reviews on Jainism—Religious Values, Ideology, Ahimsā, and Anekānta 1. Jains in the World: Religious Values and Ideology in India by John E. Cort (Oxford University Press, New York, 2001) i) This ethnographic study explores the Śvetāmbara Mūrtipūjaka Jain community in Patan, Gujarat, emphasizing the interplay of religious values (well-being) and ideology (mokṣa-mārga). The book is structured into seven chapters and an introduction that presents ritual practices from idol consecration to temple location. ii) Key chapters include: a) Ch. 1–2: Introduction to Jain ideology and Patan’s religious landscape. b) Ch. 3: Jain temple rituals; includes 12 adhikāras, 5 dānaṅgas (chants), 5 abhigamas (preparatory rites), and 10 trikas (typological triads). c) Ch. 4: Lay–mendicant dynamics, where mendicants are seen as models of renunciation. d) Ch. 5: Asceticism as central to mokṣa-mārga (ratnatraya: samyag-darśana, jñāna, cāritra). e) Ch. 6: Descriptive overview of Jain festivals. f) Ch. 7: Concludes with a philosophical reflection on worldly engagement (saṃsāra) and liberation. The reviewer highlights the book’s anthropological merit and its contribution to Western Jain studies. 2. Ahimsā, Anekānta and Jainism, edited by Tara Sethia (Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 2004) This volume collects 12 papers from an international conference at Cal Poly Pomona (Jan 19–20, 2002), categorized into three thematic sections: Ahimsā, Anekānta, and Exemplars. i) Section 1 – Ahimsā (Non-violence) a) Kim Skoog explores Jain responses to terrorism, emphasizing virodhi-hiṃsā (opposition-based unavoidable violence) and the concept of proportionality with intent neutrality. b) Padmanabh S. Jaini examines Just War in Jainism through canonical and medieval sources (Bhagavat-sūtra, Daśavaikālika, Yaśastilaka, Ādipurāṇa). ii) Section 2 – Anekānta (Non-absolutism) a) John M. Koller frames it as an epistemological tool promoting dialogue and non-violence, distinguishing it from relativism via naya-vāda and syādvāda (saptabhaṅgī). b) Ann Vallely shares ethnographic anecdotes reflecting the spirit of anekānta. c) Kamala Jain interprets it as a modern secular social philosophy. d) Paul Dundas studies Yaśovijaya’s 17th-century texts affirming tolerance across faiths. e) Christopher Chapple analyzes Haribhadra's inclusive worldview and compassion. iii) Section 3 – Exemplars of Anekānta and Ahimsā a) Sonya Quintanilla discusses Mathura ardhapālaka sculptures (2nd c. BCE) reflecting these doctrines through representations of yakṣas, yakṣīs, foreigners, women, and stupas from Mahākṣatrapa Soḍāsa’s era. b) This review underscores the scholarly depth and contemporary relevance of Jain principles such as non-violence, pluralism, and interfaith tolerance, reinforcing their significance in both traditional and modern contexts. Let me know if you’d like a comparative matrix or deeper analysis of individual contributions.
Conclusion
Together, these two works illuminate Jainism both as a lived tradition and as a philosophical force—Cort grounding Jain values in the rituals and social life of Patan, and Sethia’s volume projecting ahimsā and anekānta into global ethical, philosophical, and artistic conversations. Their combined insights affirm Jainism’s enduring relevance in shaping dialogue, non-violence, and pluralism across time and cultures.