Jainism: Precepts and Practice (In 2 Volumes)

Brahmanic and Sramanic, these two religious traditions, fairly epitomized the religious ethos of ancient Indian People. The former, in some form or the other, barks upon the Idea of God, and, consequently depends upon the Grace of God for achieving moksa or Absolute Freedom. Whereas, in Sramanic religious tradition God is replaced by Man himself, and, for achieving Nirvana, one has to rely solely upon one’s own Grace. Jainism, very much like Buddhism, subscribes to the Sramanic view of man’s predicament and shows the way out of it. For Man of Today, using Nicfzsche’s phrase, God is Dead. Now, he must seek light from Sramanic view, while doing away with the Idea of God. Vardhaman Mahavira (6th B.C.), the last and twenty fourth tirthankara in the Jain religious tradition, through his own efforts, without any aid from divine or human agency, discovered Kevala Jaina or perfect knowledge and shared it with his contemporaries, now preserved in Jaina Agamas or Scriptures, in Prakrit language. This book provides an ample opportunity for those interested in an authentic Jaina version of Srananic religious tradition, worked out both in the background of western philosophy and orthodox Indian philosophical system.