Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37

Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37: A Comprehensive Review of the Book

If you are interested in learning more about Jainism, one of the world's oldest and least-understood religions, you might want to check out Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37. This book is a revised and expanded edition of the author's previous work, The Jains, which was published in 2002. In this book, Paul Dundas, a professor of Sanskrit at the University of Edinburgh, provides a thorough and insightful overview of Jainism in its social and doctrinal context, covering its history, sects, scriptures, rituals, and practices.

In this article, we will give you a brief summary of the main topics discussed in Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37, as well as some of the reasons why you should read this book if you want to deepen your understanding of Jainism.

The Fordmakers

The first chapter of Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37 introduces the concept of the fordmakers (tirthankaras), who are the spiritual leaders and teachers of Jainism. The fordmakers are believed to have attained omniscience and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, and to have shown the way (the ford) to others who seek the same goal. The most recent and prominent fordmaker is Mahavira, who lived in the sixth century BCE and is regarded as the founder of Jainism. Dundas discusses the sources and legends about Mahavira's life and teachings, as well as his relationship with other contemporary religious figures such as Makkhali Gosala, Parsva, and the Buddha.

The Digambaras and the Svetambaras

The second chapter of Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37 deals with the two main sects of Jainism: the Digambaras (sky-clad) and the Svetambaras (white-clad). These sects emerged around the first century CE and differ on various doctrinal and practical issues, such as whether women can attain liberation, whether Mahavira was married or celibate, whether he wore clothes or not, and what constitutes the canonical scriptures. Dundas examines the origins and development of these sects, their attitudes towards each other, their social interaction, and their sub-sects and traditions.

Scriptures

The third chapter of Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37 focuses on the scriptures of Jainism, which are considered to be the words of the fordmakers or their disciples. Dundas explains the history and transmission of these scriptures, which were originally oral and later written down in various languages such as Ardhamagadhi, Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsa, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, etc. He also describes the contents and structure of the Svetambara canon (which consists of forty-five texts divided into six categories) and the Digambara canon (which consists of various texts attributed to Kundakunda and other authors). He also discusses some of the themes and concepts found in these scriptures, such as omniscience, karma, rebirth, deliverance, nonviolence, relativism, etc.

History: From Early Times to the Late Medieval Period

The fourth chapter of Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37 traces the history of Jainism from its origins to around the sixteenth century CE. He covers topics such as Jainism's geographical spread and influence in India (especially in Mathura, south India, Karnataka), its interactions with other religions (such as Hinduism, Buddhism,

Islam), its political patronage and persecution by various rulers (such as Chandragupta Maurya,

Harsha Vardhana,

Amoghavarsha,

Alauddin Khalji,

Akbar), its sectarian divisions and reforms (such as early Digambara sects,

bhattarakas,

Svetambara gacchas,

temple-dwelling monks), its artistic and literary achievements (such as temples,

sculptures,

paintings,

poetry,

biographies), etc.

The Ascetic

The fifth chapter of Paul Dundas The Jains Pdf 37 explores the role and lifestyle of

the ascetic aa16f39245