9058009463

2M REYBEWS

RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE JA1NAS, VIRCHAND G AND HI,

edited by Nagin J. Shah, published by Lalil C. Shah, Trustee, Jain

International, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad - 380014, 1993, pp. 232, Rs.

80/-

World’s Parliament of Rcligions was held al Chicago in 1893 A.D. V.R. Gandhi was an exponenl of Jainism at this first Parliament. His lectures on Jainism and Jain Philosophy, delivered at this Parliament, were collected and published in two books entitled The Jaina Philosophy (1910 and 1924) and The Karma Philosophy (1913 and 1924). The present publication is a part of the Centenary Celcbralions of that first Parliament. Dr. N.J. Shah, who is an eminent scholar of Jainism and Indian Philosophy, has from these lectures sclcctcd passages and arranged them in the present book in such a manner as to give a connected, consistent and systematic account of the Jain Philosophy and religion. He has added at appropriate places headings and sub-headings to indicatc the point under discussion.

The present book is divided inlo four parts. Part I - Chapter 1 deals with‘Cultural Environment* : antiquily of Indian civilizalion and the Vedas, social status of early Hindus, morał status of the Hindus’ life, ils objęci and laws according to Hindus, su systems of philosophy, essential principles of Hinduism and esscntials of Buddhism and thus prepares the ground for a proper understanding and appreciation of the Jain philosophy and religion (pp.3-39).

Part II (consisting of Chaptcrs 2 to 7) cxplains the essentials of Jain Philosophy. Chapter 2 presents bare outlines of the fundamcntals of Jainism : nine principles, six substanccs, six kinds of living beings, four States of existcnce, transmigration, Karma and Jain ethics. Chapter 3 treats of the Jain conception of reality and knowlcdge. Chapter 4 treats of the Jain conception of soul. Chapter 5 deals with the Jain view of the universe, chapter 6, wilh the Jain vicw of God and Chapter 7 with Jain symbolism (pp.43-95).

Part III (consisting of Chapters 8 to 16) is devoted to the exposition of the unique Jain theory of Karma. It treats of the naturę of Karma, relation between soul and Karma, and eightfold classificalion of Karma , the causes of Karma, sub-divisions of the eight types of Karma : 1. JńSnSvaranIya (knowledge-obscuring), 2. darśanSvaraniya (failh-obscuring), 3. vedanTya -4. mohaniya - 5. Syuh - 6. nama - 7. gotra - and 8. antaraya karma (pp.99-142).

Part IV (consisting of only one Chapter i. e., Chapter 17) is devoted to the exposilion of the 14 guna-sthSnas which represent various stages of spiritual dcvelopmenl (pp. 145-228). Incidentally, it may be noted here that the posilion of the subjcct‘Sixth Slage of Devclopmcnt’ and onwards