Facets of Jainology

The Jain Community is one of the oldest communities in the world. It has made several important contributions to society. However, knowledge about this ancient community is very limited. Facets of Jainology, a collection of research papers, presents to the world a complete picture of the Jain community’s way of life, its people and its culture. The book is divided into three parts. The first part is about the Jain society. This section deals with the sociological structure of the Jain society, the caste system, the position of widows and several other important issues. The second part is about the antiquity of the Join religion, the Jam tradition of the Tirthankaras, Jainism’s inherent belief in the principle of Ahimsa and the status of Jainism today. The concluding part is on Jain culture. Perhaps the most important contribution of the Jains is in the field of language, literature, education and learning. Another important contribution is in the field of art and architecture. The Jain temples are some of the most ancient in the world. Some of the oldest Jain paintings and sculptures are to be found in caves scattered all across India. Besides these, the most important contribution of Jainism towards society is the principle of Ahimsa, which forms the basis for rules of conduct laid down for its followers. The Jain saints have played a significant role in the uplift of society by banishing harmful anti-social practices from society, by encouraging the government to take up welfare schemes for the poor and by spreading religious and secular education among the masses. Facets of Jainogy is a treasure-house of knowledge which will be useful to scholars as well as ordinary people interested in delving into the various aspects of Jainology.