Jainism

Dr. Pankaj Jain’s monograph on Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, offers a comprehensive exploration of his life, teachings, and enduring influence on Jain virtue ethics and environmental sustain­ability. Structured around the five Jain milestones – conception, birth, renunciation, omniscience, and liberation – the manuscript draws from primary Prakrit and Sanskrit texts, as well as secondary sources in English, Hindi, and Gujarati, to construct a detailed biography. It ad­dresses the scarcity of English-language works on Mahavira compared to those on Buddhism, emphasizing his role in shaping Jainism’s dis­tinct identity.

The introduction critiques the ‘imperialism of categories’, advocating for a dharmic framework that intertwines philosophy, religion, and ecology, avoiding Western dichotomies. Jainism’s core virtues – Ahimsa (non­violence), Aparigraha (non-accumulation), and Aneknta­vada (pluralism) – are explored as foundational to sustainable prac­tices, influencing figures like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

The manuscript highlights Jainism’s environmental contributions, such as vegetarianism and animal sanctuaries, exemplified by inst­itutions like the Sumati Jeev Raksha Kendra. It also engages with scholarly debates, critiquing Western Indology’s neglect of contem­porary Indian sources and addressing sectarian disputes, such as Mahavira’s birthplace and marital status.

Supported by FLAME University and the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, this work underscores Mahavira’s legacy in promoting non­violence and ecological consciousness, offering a nuanced perspective on Jainism’s relevance to modern sustainability challenges. Through rigorous analysis and interdisciplinary insights, Jain’s monograph bridges ancient wisdom with contemporary environmental ethics.