Product Description
Second U.S. edition of a highly acclaimed, simple introduction to Jainism, an ancient (more than 2600 years old) but currently relevant religion from India. Written in a clear and friendly style, full of explanations, and a gradual, stepwise presentation of its fundamental principles. For personal or classroom study. Equally interesting for non-Jains of either Indian, non-Indian, or Western origin, and for students and scholars of non-violence, vegetarianism, and ecology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Pretty Good
This is a pretty good intro to Jainism.It is neither too complex nor too simple.It gives enough to start you on the way to understanding the belief system.There are deeper books out there but this assumes you know nothing but the name.It is a good starting point.

Three and a Half Stars - give it four for ease of reading
This is a good introduction to Jainism - I would rate it 3 and ½ stars.The author writes for a young audience, hoping that the children of Jains that are living in the west and estranged from the roots of their tradition will be reconnected with it.The book is very clear and easy to understand, and perhaps the author assumes too much that his young audience will grow impatient.This book could be read by high school or young college students as an introduction to the Jain faith.In addition to a summary of Jain beliefs, it has a valuable (albeit too brief) summary of important and prominent Jains, as well as a bit about the lives of a few of the Tirthankaras.If the author erred it was in the direction of simplicity, and the attempt to make the material as accessible as possible.He succeeds in the latter, and I would recommend this book for young readers, or novices, who are unaware of, but curious about the Jain religion.

An Introduction to Jainism by Dr. Bharat S. Shah
This is an excellent and practical introduction to Jainism especially for young Jains born in the countries other than India. Dr. Shah has emphasized the practice part of Jainism rather than theories. He has covered all the major practices practiced by lay Jains today in India in their daily life. He has kept the discussion at the level that is logically acceptable by a lay person or the one who has no roots in Jainism.

Informative and interesting
Having been reluctant to learn about Jainism my entire life, this book showed me that a book does not have to be boring just because it's about religion. I really like the author's writing style and his simple approach to explaining what I always thought were complicated tenets. I highly recommend this book.

This book is really worth your while
This book is very unique in the world of books on Jainism.My experience has been that most books presume you already have a great deal of understanding of Jainism before you start reading them or that you are veryreligious.While this book ismost likelyinformative for those readers, I do not fall under those categories.This book taught me what Jainismis about without telling me what rituals I must follow and withoutpreaching to me about my shortcomings as a Jain.it is very simply writtenand really teaches the reader about all aspects of the religion, includinginteresting stories about its development.I highly recommend this book toanyone who wants to learn about Jainism. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

I Wish I Hadn't Bought This Book
This is a book for academics and students - not casual readers just interested in having their curiosity and interest sated.If fact, it will likely crush any future intellectual pursuit of Jainism.

Imagine if you wanted to research Protestantism and bought an introductory book to help you.What if that book taught you all about Catholicism and contrasted it with Protestantism in a condescending way.What if you had to learn the Latin word for every concept while doing it.

Mind you, every critical concept of Jainism is represented in the book - if you can sift through all the other stuff about Vedic Hinduism and Buddism.I'll admit, you can't completely understand Jainism without understanding the context of when and where it originated.But for an introduction to the subject it should have been in its own chapter at the end of the book.

Also, for me, it is sufficient (but not necessary) to have the Hindu word for a concept given once - in italics - when first introduced. From then on use the translation and let anyone interested use a glossary.

I've seen other reviews call this book "highly readable" but found I had to work continually to keep my interest level high enough to continue reading.I wish I could recommend a book on Jainism that did appeal to me, but I'm afraid I'm done with the subject for the foreseeable future.

Inside Indic Thought:Historical Context and Modern Relevance
Professor Long's book, Jainism:An Introduction, is a thoroughly researched overview of the Jain tradition, a religion and set of philosophical constructs that have influenced Indian thought for over 2500 years.This succinct, completely engaging overview of Jainism, the historical contexts of Jain intellectual thought, and the relationship of Jainism and Jain philosophers within the greater context of Hinduism, brahminical/Vedic thought, Buddhism, and Indic philosophical movements is indeed quite relevant to understanding and appreciating the Jain communities in India and in the West.

This highly-readable monograph is intended as a an introduction to the Jain tradition; and it is aimed at a college-level audience, but it is also a book with considerable relevance to any person interested in philosophy, religion, history, India, or the evolution of intellectual movements.I highly recommend this book for every reader--it is accessible, engaging, and provocative.One of the aims of the book is to put core Jain (and for that matter, Buddhist and Hindu) beliefs and assumptions about the nature and meaning of existence into an intellectual context, both historical, and applicable to modern-day societies.With an exceptionally clear explanation of core Jain beliefs including non-violence, non-absolutism (or perhaps more easily understood as religious pluralism), detachment from materialism, and the karmic cycle, the author has indeed put the evolution of Jain thought into an appropriate historical context vis-à-vis Buddhism and Hinduism.

Jainism:An Introduction provides the historical context of the Jain founders, Mahavira, and other philosophers; and, how their intellectual thought challenged historical, philosophical movements within Buddhism and Hinduism.Additionally, the book provides a survey of current literature and academic thought concerning the importance of Jain thought within its historical, philosophical, and religious context.I found the examination of current academic thought quite well presented.The examination of Jainism (like Buddhism) as a reaction (in the literal sense) in many regards to brahminical religious structures and thought is quite interesting.The analyses of academic views concerning Jainism and Buddhism as part of the Greater Magadha culture, recent archaeological evidence, and new postulations on the influence of north Indian philosophers provide a greater understanding of core Jain beliefs, and the subsequent influence of the Jain community in India.This book argues for the relevance of Jain thought as a potential solution to many modern crises of religious intolerance, violence, consumerism, materialism, and ecological disasters that the human community continually faces. Interestingly enough, there is also an overview of how Jain thought has actually influenced modern history with a brief examination of Jain influence upon Gandhi and the Indian independence movement.

It is fascinating to learn that the small Jain community has influenced Indic and world religious thought in a variety of ways, and the book provides a thorough overview of the internal logic and consistency of Jain thought over 2500 years.Professor Long presents both the historical context of Jainism, and its relevance to modern society--particularly Jain views on non-violence, religious tolerance, renouncing materialism, ecological sustainability, and vegetarianism.Jainism indeed has a great deal to teach western societies about environmental sustainability and social justice, and may provide a solution for sustainable populations living in balance with nature.

I highly recommend this book to students and to anyone interested in the subject.And, if you happen to believe that Jain thought is just too exotic to read about, think again, for the Jain tradition has a great deal to teach western societies.Perhaps, if more people adopted some of the core beliefs of Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism, we might just find ourselves living in a better world.One should fully understand the historical context and evolution of Jain thought, but perhaps more importantly, one should appreciate the relevance of Jainism in order to solve some of the difficulties modern societies confront.

And...don't forget to read the footnotes and historical chronology!

Do yourself a favor and get this book, and Long's outstanding first book--A Vision for Hinduism: Beyond Hindu Nationalism--about the nature of modern Hindu identity, nationalism, and the relevance of Hindu thought for all contemporary societies.

... Read more

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An introduction to Jainism, one of the oldest religionsin the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

You can call me Jain~
I've studied most religions over the years but could never embrace any of them because, after becoming a Vegan 3 years ago, didn't find them very loving towards all Sentient Beings or gave me the feeling that they knew worshiping leads to a form of slavery until i came back to Jainism. I ended up here again because of a stressful relationship i'm in now with someone who is my Polar, my Ying/Yang. And i don't have contact with my now very religious Xtian family anymore because i don't follow their Lord, their superstitions. My family today are mostly non-human beings, animals, plants, etc.. and a few good friends. This book fed my soul, for the author explained to me exactly what i've been looking for since i began my soul searching expedition years ago. I so thank you Michael Tobias for writing this very lovely, easy to read book!! I'm a Techno-Hippie that's now practicing Jainism, one who has always care about our Ecology and also loves Technology!

Best book on Jainism written by a westerner, I am glad its available again
I am very happy to see this book being re-published by a new publisher. BUT....It pained me to read some of the reviews here, I thinkthese are misguided, and even though I believe in Anekantavad of Jainism, I offer the following thoughts, mine, on this book as a counter balance.

This is a composite edited shortened transcript of several talks I gave to Young Jains on this earth across continents. Hence the original copyright is mine and sometimes of the Newsletters of the Jain Temples that sponsored the seminars. So I ask all concerned to please respect that.

I quote my own words," Michael Tobias has written an exemplary book on Jainism.I recommend this book highly to Jains and Non-Jains alike, to those who want to KNOW the IDEALS of Jainism, to use them in their own lives.This book is not for those who merely want to collect facts.For fact junkies who only live in their heads, there are numerous books. Fact junkies beware! this book touch your heart.

Reading this book in summer of 1996, on a rock by the banks of the Hudson river, in Nyack NY, I could not put it down. I had a long way to drive to gethome, but somehow I could not get off that rock.I had gone antiquing. Instead of antique objects,I had found this new book about a very very old religion in a friendly little shop by the river. I am a Jain by birth, by some life rules set by my parents, by stories told to us by Grandma and by morals particularly of Social Ahimsa imbibed from facts about Gandhiji. I also have a lot of didactic learning about facts, history and rules of Jainism, in books from Indian Jain authors and some non Jain Europeans. These books had filled my head, but never managed to touch my heart.

It is Mr. Tobias's genius, that I found myself drawn to the religion of my birth as never before.May be because it came when I was ready, but the style he uses to tell us about the Jains and Jainism is personal and investigative at the same time.He provides real honest to goodness references, not just newspaper articles (as some gringos nowadays are apt to do and put out their pseudo-scientific hodgepodge, I will not name them here, I have written about them elsewhere, I do not want to give those undeserving professors free publicity).

Of course once in a while Mr. (is he a doctor by now?) Tobias comes up gushing, but why not. He is telling us about a religion whose morals we need the most and our actions must arise in our hearts:
TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK,
Non-violence in dealing with others,
ANEKANTAVAD:genuine ability to see others' viewpoint in an openhearted openminded way,
Ahimsa: Not harming even a small ant or a beetle on a houseplant (or human beings in the name of religion, or region or oil for that matter) .
Very gently, he told me that I am responsible for my own actions and hence the reactions,his stories reminded methat there is no intermediary between me and my God, no one to plead for me, no one to die for me, I am responsible for my own salvation.No whining is allowed, there is no one to hear your whining.I knew my father and his father before him for generations resolved matters wisely, amicably, out of harsh courtroom drama.I did not know why? Michael told me it was my Jain legacy, Jains prefer not to file lawsuits.Their business dealings are mostly so honest and straight that chances of lawsuits do not arise.I know how violence settles in the hearts of two legal opponents.

He also told me about my true legacy of no pomp, no ceremony in the behavior of the highest ranking Jain. When a Jain Muni befriended him outside a temple, he was so non-assuming and simple that Michael assumed he must be some sort of a caretaker.Instead he turned out to be a Muni of High rank.Living in NY with my (and my colleagues') inflated egos of being big shot academicians this was a lesson, an eyeopener.Jain munis are highly learned, highly sophisticated, highly evolvedyet have no pomp, no gilding, no treasury, no armed guards, no violence.Just peace.Just cleanliness, just stillness. I have since then tried to be simple, quiet, humble, kind.His stories reminded me that it has to be daily awareness of the social Ahimsa and equality in practice.

My meditation teacher had told us, be quiet for 20 minutes and sit and may be you can listen to what God has to say.Michael told me in this book that practicing Jainism would provideme that quietitude in daily life even if I were in the middle of the hubbub of daily busy-ness of a research lab in Medical school in NY.

I must also tell you that I have read and re-read this book periodically over the last dozen years.

I was so impressed I bought as many copies as I could afford, to give away.All who read it were always glad of the experience and wanted more copies to share with their own circle.Soon this book was out of print, not even in nooks and cranny of some obscure bookstore or the internet could I find a new copy to give to other relatives or nieces or nephews or some Jain temple library. "

So I was very pleased to see that a new publisher has taken on the task of publishing this book.

Nothing To Do With Jainism
I purchased this book with the assumption that it would be about certain ecological concepts found w/in the Jain belief system and give a brief history of the movement.No dice!

These are essays about the inner workings of a hopeless romantic written by the romantic.In his own book certain Jains tell the author that he has a distorted rose-colored view of Jainism.This doesn't stop him from fantasizing about the incomparable excellency of his new pet project/belief.Bottom line, this book is trite.

There are generally two categories of analysis for Westerners that view different cultures and realities.1:Disdain everything that isn't Western as backward, inefficient, done in ignorance.2:Fall blindly in love with anything that isn't Western and live in a puppy-love state of infatuation with it.Thereby restricting yourself from ever gaining a true, objective understanding of the culture, belief, etc.Mr. Tobias is a #2.A hopeless Oriental-o-phile that doesn't even give a brief history of the people or significant reference to any of their literature that he professes to have experienced in such a life-changing manner.

I'm a vegan.I don't eat or wear animal, but this book left me desiring some real "meat" or substance concerning this topic.I'm going to try another book that is hopefully more considerate of the peoples culture, history, philosophy.

Great book on Jainism - Religion of Non-Violance(Ahimsa)
This is the best book on Jainism. Michael Tobias has described non-violance(ahimsa) in great details. Everyone knows Gandhi but many don't know driving force behind Gandhi's Ahimsa. Gandhi's spiritual leader, Shrimad Rajchandra(or Raichandbhai in Gandhi's autobiography)was Jain.

He has also tried to depict differences between Jainism and Baudhdhism, where applicable. By birth, I'm Jain(and trying to be Jain by act)and I appreciate many historical perspective on Jainism.
Also, as mentioned in the book, Jainism is scientific religion - covering Physics, Math and other subjects. This is great book not only for spiritual reading but also for environmental understanding.

I got this book from the library. I'm going to buy few copies and going to give them to my spiritual friends.

interesting, but...
Well, it's an OK survey book, but I was put off by the author's co-opting Jain principles to rail on about non-vegetarians, the beef industry, and environmentalism.I don't necessarily disagree with some of his positions, but I purchased the book to expand my knowledge of Jainism, not for the author's social agenda.

A better alternative is Hemacandra's The Lives of the Jain Elders (R.C.C. Fynes, ed.), which has a brief history and overview of Jainism, though it's limited to the White-clad Jains.The translation of Hemacandra's work is a very readable intro to some of the moral precepts of the religion. ... Read more

Product Description
Jainism, the most fascinating and complex among the Indian religious, offers an interesting field of enquiry for the scholar of comparative religions. Originating as heterodox sect in the sixth century BC it has added considerably to the development of Indian thought and culture while maintaining to this day its distinct identity and philosophy as a religion par excellence of love and kindness. The history of Jainism attains a greater significance, in particular, for, despite the limited number of its adherents and its non-competitive character, it was able to stand on its own during the various stages of its history.
Mrs. Sinclair Stevenson, in her present work, The Heart of Jainism has analyzed these factors in significant detail. While tracing the origin of Jainism to the revolt of the Kshatriya against Brahmanical exclusiveness and the ritual-ridden structure, she has shown how it sustained itself through the course of its history. This, in her view, became possible because in Jainism the body of ascetics was provided adequately by its lay community and the permeation of strong Hindu influences. In this painstaking work, Mrs. Stevenson has examined, in clear details, not only the history and development of Jainism as it is practiced today. Her exposition of the Nine Categories of the Fundamental Truth of the Jainas and their subdivisions is distinguished by a careful and valuable analysis and she has gone into the details of examining the Jaina belief I existence and other allied terms as they mean to the Jaina Themselves. She has also described in detail the Jaina worship and religious customs, the various ceremonies observed during the life-time by Jaina-both the layman and the ascetic, mythology, architecture and literature. A Detailed treatment has been given to the analysis of the Nine Categories and the twenty-four Tirthankaras in the two appendices ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Highly recommended.
This is a unique introduction to Jainism. The articles, mostly written by Jains living in USA,are drawn from "Jain Study Circular", a highlyregarded Jain publication in America. The articles are easy toread, but that does not mean that the book is intended for children only.The articles are written in a simple language, but they are written byexperts.Although primarily written for Jains, non-Jains would also enjoyreading it. I would recommend all Jains living overseas to have a copy ofthis excellent book. ... Read more

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First published in 1925, translation of a German classic by Shridhar Shrotri. A comprehensive work, excellent on salvation, basic tenets. ... Read more

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This book gives Jaina logic together with present trends in scientific thinking and indicates how Jainism and modern science are related. At many places a sharper scientific pictorial representation has been given. The study constructs four axioms which highlight the foundation of Jainism. It discusses the theoretical and applied aspects of these axioms and examines their plausibility in modern context. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For the first time Religion supercedes Science !
I being a Jain have dug deep into the teachings of Jainism often and one of the reasons why Jainism to me is more than a religion is because of its absolutely scientific foundations. This book opens up Jainism to a non-Jainand presents to the reader the underlying _scientific_ reasons for Jainteachings. This book goes on to explain the beauty of Jainism which, whilefocussing on your soul, includes cent per cent benefits for your health.This book also mentions teachings of Jainism, the logic of which sciencedoes not agree to today. But going by the track record :) of Jain teachingswhich date thousands of years back when science was not a system, it can besafely said that science should look up to Jainism to find answers toquestions which are eludingthem. This book is a very satisfyingexperience especially for a staunch Jain like me. It will also open theeyes of the general public to the teachings of non-violence which is somuch needed in today's world. All in all it vindicates Jainism. It can besaid that Jainism is a wonderful mixture of science andspirituality. Butthen there is no space for doubt as Jainism is nothing but the truth ! This book should be read by one and all. There is something to be learnedby everyone. ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: MadrasPublication date: 1922Subjects: Jainism -- India HistoryNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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The twenty-five-hundred-year-old tradition of Jainism, which emphasizes nonviolence as the only true path leading to liberation, offers a worldview seemingly compatible with the goals of environmental activism.

But can Jainism adopt a sociocentric environmentalism without compromising its own ascetic principles and spiritual tradition? How does traditional Jain cosmology view the natural world? How might a Jain ethical system respond to decisions regarding the development of dams, the proliferation of automobiles, overcrowding due to overpopulation, or the protection of individual animal species? Can there be a Jain environmental activism that addresses both the traditional concern for individual self-purification and the contemporary dilemma of ecosystem degradation? The voices in this volume reflect the dynamic nature of the Jain faith and its willingness to engage in discussion on a modern social issue.

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Essays by scholars on Jainism, also discussion of how Jainism in taught in western schools ... Read more

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In an integrated and comprehensive framework, this book deals in depth with different dimensions of one of the most ancient surviving religions of the world.Dr. Natubhai Shah's essay is a magnum opus encompassing a vast range of perspectives on Jainism.The discussions on its sacred literature and modern ideas on Jain Philosophy, Jain Logic, Science, Art, Architecture, Temples and Pilgrimages, are backed by appendices, bibliography, glossary and an inclusive index. ... Read more

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THIS 80 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Short Studies in the Science of Comparative Religions Embracing All the Religions of Asia, by J. G. R. Forlong. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766101576. ... Read more

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WORLD RELIGIONS, ANCIENT SACRED TEXTS, SIKHISM, JAINISM: The purpose of this series of texts is very simple.We have striven to compile the best of the better known and the least known of the ancient sacred texts from every religion throughout the world and throughout time. It is our hope that this series of volumes makes it possible for a lay reader to truly access some of the most important world literature in religion without having to have a library of 5,000 books in their possession. In these volumes, you will find everything you need to know to have a well-rounded and deep understanding of the many different faiths and belief systems in our world.(For more info- www.outofbodytravel.org) ... Read more

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Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Jainism," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Jainism in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Jainism when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Jainism, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

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Publisher: Cambridge : University pressPublication date: 1916Subjects: JainismNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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In this book an attempt has been made to write a comprehensive and connected account about Jainism from 800 BC to the time of Mughal Emporer Akbar. This is the Second Revised Edition. ... Read more

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Publisher: Oxford : B.H. Blackwell; [etc.,etc.]Publication date: 1910Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more