Book Review: Outlines of Jainism; Mahatirth Pavapuri

Summary

The book review section discusses two contemporary works that contribute to the understanding of Jainism. The first book, S. Gopalan’s "Outlines of Jainism," is a compact study prepared at the Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy at the University of Madras. Although designed for advanced philosophy students, the reviewer notes that the book will prove useful to general readers because the author frames Jain teachings within the broader Indian cultural tradition. Gopalan asserts that Jainism can be properly understood only when it is interpreted as part of India’s rich religious and philosophical heritage, and that many aspects of Indian culture are illuminated by delving deeply into Jain texts. The reviewer commends the clarity of the presentation and highlights the way Gopalan addresses Jain metaphysics, epistemology, psychology and ethics while carefully citing sources in the footnotes. The book’s brevity—just over two hundred pages—inevitably restricts coverage, but the reviewer believes the work succeeds in introducing readers to Jain teachings and emphasises the continuing relevance of Jain principles for modern life. The second work reviewed is B. L. Nahata’s Hindi book "Mahatirth Pavapuri." Nahata wrote this study to resolve a controversy about the location of the nirvāṇa of Mahāvīra, the last Tīrthaṅkara, by refuting claims that Mahāvīra attained nirvāṇa at a village named Śātiyāno. Drawing on Jaina canonical texts and epigraphic evidence, Nahata argues that the "Majjhima Pāvā" mentioned in Jain scriptures corresponds to the present-day Pāvā near Nalanda in Bihar. The reviewer notes that the author patiently answers arguments advanced by Buddhist scholars and Western orientalists, clarifies the existence of three places named Pāvā, and explains why the Jaina tradition consistently asserts that Mahāvīra’s nirvāṇa occurred near Rājagṛha. By publishing this book, Nahata hopes to correct misunderstandings created by recent scholarly disputes and to reaffirm the authenticity of the Jaina tradition. The reviewer concludes that both books enrich contemporary Jaina scholarship: Gopalan’s volume offers a concise, sympathetic introduction to Jainism for English readers, while Nahata’s monograph provides a timely defence of a sacred site and demonstrates how careful historical research can resolve doctrinal controversies. Together they illustrate the diversity of modern Jain studies and encourage further exploration of Jaina philosophy and history.