JAINS CL (Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) [Hardcover]

Dundas (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415051835 | ISBN-13: 978-0415051835 | Publication Date: September 16, 1992 | Edition: 1

Jainism - with Hinduism and Buddism - is an integral part of Indian culture, and its adherents continue to make a vital contribution to the religious and economic life of the subcontinent. Furthermore, Jainism, with its distinctive views on matters such as non-violence and intellectual relativity, has clear relevance to life and thought in the twentieth century. In this up-to-date guide to one of the world's oldest religions, Paul Dundas goes beyond recent accounts of Jainism which have concentrated on doctrine to give instead a strong sense of Jainism as a living and dynamic faith. He focuses on the Jains as agents within their own destinies and on the manner in which they have, over the centuries, structured and made sense of their lives as Jains. Paul Dundas interprets the Jain religion as both a historical evolving phenomenon and a mode of life which provides a coherent and satisfying world view for its followers. He demonstrates the complex and multidimensional nature of Jainism, traces its evolution, and assesses its principal doctrinal and sectarian characteristics, giving special attention to Jain attitudes towards scripture, and the role of ritual and sacred places.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Dundas is senior lecturer in Sanskrit in the School of Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh, specialising in middle Indo-Aryan philology and the Jain religion. He is the author of The Sattasai and its Commentators --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Other; 1 edition (September 16, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415051835
• ISBN-13: 978-0415051835
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,347,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Difficult but thorough read, August 7, 2004

By 

J. M. Shah "Goober" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Jains (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) (Paperback)

This book gets really detailed, and it's hard to keep track of some of the histories and nuances in philosophy. Nonetheless, my mother was amazed at how completely the author covered Jainism, and I'm learning alot myself (we're both Jain).

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine text on Jainism, March 4, 2006

By 

John W "amateur indologist and philologist" (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Jains (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) (Paperback)

The author does a very thorough job introducing the reader to Jainism, its history, its sacred days, its customs and its sects. Indian language vocabulary is also well-explained (mostly Sanskrit). The one thing grossly lacking in this book is citation of scripture. As I recall, there may be a sentence or two of Jain scripture in the entire book. It has long been my belief that the best way to learn about the beliefs of any religion is through its own source text(s). The author does state that there is no definitive canon of Jain scripture, but the book could have been made about 25% larger through some reasonable scriptural selection, or, alternatively, 25% of the existing content could have been cut to provide the reader some feel for Jain scripture. This is the only negative critcism that I have to offer. Aside from this one criticism, this is an excellent book and I recommend it highly.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent but not Easy, May 16, 2009

By 

Will Jerom (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Jains (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) (Hardcover)

Paul Dundas has produced some serious and valuable scholarship on Jainism. Academics wishing a deeper appreciation and understanding of Jainism than most introductions can give will like Dundas' work. Beginners will find it hard to digest. Dundas has successfully and critically presented a broad account of Jain beliefs and history. The strength of the book -- its thoroughness and density --also may be a deterrent to the new reader.
The Jains, a small religious group believing in an immortal soul, are indigenous to India, and affirm many of the ideas of their Hindu counterparts, but are critical of other Hindu doctrines. Jains do not have a traditional place for "God" or "Gods", but do for the omniscient Fordmakers. Dundas work in portraying the Jains will have lasting value.