DOCSLIB.ORG

Banārasīdās Dans L'histoire De La Pensée Digambara Sur L

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Banārasīdās Dans L'histoire De La Pensée Digambara Sur L De la convention `ala conviction : Ban¯aras¯id¯asdans l'histoire de la pens´eedigambara sur l'absolu J´er^omePetit, J´er^omePetit To cite this version: J´er^omePetit, J´er^omePetit. De la convention `ala conviction : Ban¯aras¯id¯asdans l'histoire de la pens´eedigambara sur l'absolu. Philosophie. Universit´ede la Sorbonne nouvelle - Paris III, 2013. Fran¸cais. <NNT : 2013PA030068>. <tel-01335086> HAL Id: tel-01335086 https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01335086 Submitted on 21 Jun 2016 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destin´eeau d´ep^otet `ala diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publi´esou non, lished or not. The documents may come from ´emanant des ´etablissements d'enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche fran¸caisou ´etrangers,des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou priv´es. UNIVERSITE SORBONNE NOUVELLE - PARIS 3 ED 268 Langage et langues : description, théorisation, transmission UMR 7528 Mondes iranien et indien Thèse de doctorat Langues, civilisations et sociétés orientales (études indiennes) Jérôme PETIT DE LA CONVENTION À LA CONVICTION BAN ĀRAS ĪDĀS DANS L’HISTOIRE DE LA PENSÉE DIGAMBARA SUR L’ABSOLU Thèse dirigée par Nalini BALBIR Soutenue le 20 juin 2013 JURY : M. François CHENET, professeur, Université Paris-Sorbonne M. John CORT, professeur, Denison University, États-Unis M. Nicolas DEJENNE, maître de conférences, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Mme. Françoise DELVOYE, directeur d’études, EPHE, Section des Sciences historiques et philologiques Résumé L’œuvre de Ban āras īdās (1586-1643), marchand et poète jaina actif dans la région d’Agra, s’appuie e sur la pensée du maître digambara Kundakunda (c. III s. de notre ère) pour chanter la véritable nature du soi, intrinsèquement pur, réalité suprême d’un point de vue absolu ( ni ścaya-naya ). La condition laïque de Ban āras īdās l’oblige pourtant à envisager aussi la religion d’un point de vue conventionnel ( vyavah āra-naya ), aidé en cela par des échelles de progression spirituelle ménagées e par la doctrine jaina et décrites notamment par Nemicandra ( X siècle). Il est intéressant de suivre en diachronie l’articulation entre les deux points de vue, depuis le Samayas āra , ouvrage fondateur e de Kundakunda, jusqu’à Śrīmad R ājacandra, un saint personnage de la fin du XIX siècle, en s’attardant particulièrement sur les membres du mouvement Adhy ātma dont Ban āras īdās a été l’un des plus brillants promoteurs. Mots clés : Jainisme, philosophie digambara, Kundakunda (c. IIIe siècle), Banārasīdās (1586-1643), Rājacandra (1867-1901), mouvement Adhyātma, Inde prémoderne. 2 Abstract The works of Ban āras īdās (1586-1643), a Jain merchant and poet active in the region of Agra, is largely based on the thought of the Digambara philosopher Kundakunda (c. third century). The latter invited to search for the true nature of the self seen as the only reality from an absolute point of view ( ni ścaya-naya ). The layman condition of Ban āras īdās obliged him to consider also his own religion from a conventional point of view ( vyavah āra-naya ). He was helped by his discovery of the spiritual scales prepared by the Jain doctrine and described in detail by Nemicandra (tenth century). It is rewarding to look at the articulation between the two points of view in a historical perspective, from the Samayas āra , the major work of Kundakunda, up to Śrīmad Rājacandra, a holy layman of the late nineteenth century, with a particular focus on the members of the Adhy ātma movement whose Ban āras īdās was one of the most successful instigators. Keywords : Jainism, Digambara philosophy, Kundakunda (c. third century), Banārasīdās (1586-1643), Rājacandra (1867-1901), Adhyātma movement, premodern India. 3 I Sing the progresse of a deathlesse soule John Donne (1572-1631) À mes amis Remerciements Travail solitaire s’il en est, la rédaction d’un mémoire de thèse est pourtant soutenue, attisée par l’entourage du rédacteur, sans lequel, me semble-t-il, rien ne pourrait aboutir. Il m’est donc agréable de dédier ce travail aux amis qui m’ont encouragé dans cette entreprise. Je pense particulièrement à Agnès Legueul, devenue la mère épanouie de notre fille Ida, à Bernard Condominas, qui a eu l’heureuse intuition de m’inciter à entreprendre des études universitaires, à Édith de la Héronnière, enthousiaste de la première heure, à Étienne Besse et Julien Starck, jeunes philosophes inspirés, à Samra Azarnouche, Iran Farkhondeh et Catherine Singh, fidèles des salles de lecture de la Bibliothèque nationale de France où j’ai été en poste durant toute la durée de ce travail, encouragé par mes collègues du département Sciences et techniques qui ont toujours su veiller à l’avancée d’un projet pourtant loin de leurs premières préoccupations. Une thèse est aussi un travail à quatre mains tant comptent celles du directeur, de ma directrice en l’occurrence, qui a su parfaitement trouver l’équilibre recherché entre la souplesse et la fermeté, l’enthousiasme et la discipline, le suivi et la liberté. À Nalini Balbir va toute ma reconnaissance. En Inde, au début de ce travail, les libraires et les bibliothécaires ont joué un rôle central dans la constitution de mon corpus. À Mumbai, Manish Modi a pu me procurer une copie de l’édition de l’ Ardhakath ānaka de son aïeul N āth ūrām Prem ī. Par l’intermédiaire de Nalini Balbir, j’ai pu aussi mettre la main sur son édition du Ban āras īvil āsa . La librairie Biblia Impex a réussi à me dénicher, sur le haut d’une étagère de l’entrepôt d’Ansari Road à Delhi, l’avant-dernier exemplaire de Half a Tale de Mukund Lath. À Ahmedabad, au L. D. Institute of Indology, Karshanbhai Venkar a mis toutes ses compétences de bibliothécaire pour trouver l’édition du Samayas āra-nāṭaka avec une traduction en gujarati et le directeur de l’Institut, M. Jitendra B. Shah, m’a permis de photocopier des documents difficiles à trouver ailleurs. L’Unité Mixte de Recherche « Mondes iranien et indien » a apporté une aide financière pour la publication d’ Histoire à demi , la traduction française de l’autobiographie de Ban āras īdās à la base de ce travail, et m’a permis de présenter les résultats de mes recherches à la quatrième édition du colloque des jeunes chercheurs en études indiennes (IIGRS) à Édimbourg en septembre 2012. Et comme un sujet de recherche n’est jamais totalement nouveau, les discussions que j’ai pu avoir avec mes aînés en jainologie, Johannes Bronkhorst, Paul Dundas, Peter Flügel, Jayandra Soni, et les échanges que j’ai entretenus avec John Cort dont les centres d’intérêt sont si proches des miens, ont été toujours instructifs et formateurs, profitables en tout cas à mon propre cheminement. J’espère donc que ce modeste travail saura trouver leur intérêt. 5 Sommaire INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 PREMIÈRE PARTIE – LE SAMAYAS ĀRA DE KUNDAKUNDA ........................................................................... 13 1. DÉFINITION DU SOI ................................................................................................................................................. 20 1.1 Chapitre 1 : Le soi (j īva) ................................................................................................................................... 22 1.2 Chapitre 2 : Le non-soi (aj īva) ......................................................................................................................... 31 2. LA MÉCANIQUE DU KARMAN .................................................................................................................................... 37 2.1 Chapitre 3 : Agents causals et conséquences karmiques (kart ā-karman) ........................................................ 38 2.2 Chapitre 4 : Karman favorables et karman défavorables (pu ṇya-pāpa) .......................................................... 53 3. LE CHEMIN DE LA DÉLIVRANCE ................................................................................................................................ 57 3.1 Chapitre 5 : L’influx karmique ( āsrava) ........................................................................................................... 58 3.2 Chapitre 6 : L’arrêt du flot karmique (sa ṃvara) .............................................................................................. 62 3.3 Chapitre 7 : L’élimination du karman (nirjar ā) ............................................................................................... 63 3.4 Chapitre 8 : L’asservissement karmique (bandha) ........................................................................................... 71 3.5 Chapitre 9 : La délivrance (mok ṣa) .................................................................................................................. 81 4. ÉLOGE DE LA CONNAISSANCE ................................................................................................................................... 84 4.1 Chapitre 10 : La connaissance entièrement pure (sarva-vi śuddha-jñāna) ....................................................... 85 PARTIE 2 – BAN ĀRAS ĪDĀS À LA CROISÉE DES CHEMINS ........................................................................... 105 1. LECTURE DU SAMAYAS ĀRA ......................................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • January, 2011
    Volume : 126 Issue No. : 126 Month : January, 2011 My soul characterised by knowledge and faith is alone eternal. All other phases of my existence to which I am attached are external occurrences that are transitory. Mahavira (Niyamasara, 99) TEMPLES SEVERAL HINDU AND JAIN TEMPLES FACE DEMOLITION IN THE MANGALORE AREA Mangalore, The Supreme Court has stated that 1,201 Hindu and 17 Jain places of worship are currently under threat of being demolished because they are considered to be religious institutions that are located in public places and apparently fall under a list of unauthorized religious construction. Mohan Gowda, Hindu Jana Jagruti Vedike spokesperson stated that the government has decided to go ahead with demolishing this large number of religious structures. The verdict of the Supreme Court clearly states that all religious structures that are built after December 7, 2009 must be demolished and most of these religious structures are Hindu temples across Mangalore. With regards to those places of worship built before December 7, 2009–they will be examined case by case before a decision is made for whether they will become regularized structures, relocated or demolished. A very short notice has been given with no opportunity for appeal and the state government in its affidavit to the Supreme Court has agreed to clear all illegal religious structures by the end of this month. Gowda further stated that although the Supreme Court has allowed for temples that are over 30 years old to be regularized, the Karnataka government is simply seeking to demolish because the process of regularizing will be time consuming and not worth their time.
    [Show full text]
  • Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 21:30 19 May 2016 South Asian Religions
    Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 21:30 19 May 2016 South Asian Religions The religious landscape of South Asia is complex and fascinating. While existing literature tends to focus on the majority religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, much less attention is given to Jainism, Sikhism, Islam or Christianity. While not neglecting the majority traditions, this valuable resource also explores the important role which the minority traditions play in the religious life of the subcontinent, covering popular as well as elite expressions of religious faith. By examining the realities of religious life, and the ways in which the traditions are practiced on the ground, this book provides an illuminating introduction to Asian religions. Karen Pechilis is NEH Distinguished Professor of Humanities and Chair and Professor of Religion at Drew University, USA. Her books for Routledge include Interpreting Devotion: The Poetry and Legacy of a Female Bhakti Saint of India (2011). Selva J. Raj (1952–2008) was Chair and Stanley S. Kresge Professor of Religious Studies at Albion College, USA. He served as chair of the Conference on the Study of Religions of India and co-edited several books on South Asia. Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 21:30 19 May 2016 South Asian Religions Tradition and today Edited by Karen Pechilis and Selva J. Raj Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 21:30 19 May 2016 First published 2013 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2013 Karen Pechilis and the estate of Selva J.
    [Show full text]
  • Bhakti Movement
    TELLINGS AND TEXTS Tellings and Texts Music, Literature and Performance in North India Edited by Francesca Orsini and Katherine Butler Schofield http://www.openbookpublishers.com © Francesca Orsini and Katherine Butler Schofield. Copyright of individual chapters is maintained by the chapters’ authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0). This license allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work; to adapt the work and to make commercial use of the work providing attribution is made to the author (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). Attribution should include the following information: Orsini, Francesca and Butler Schofield, Katherine (eds.), Tellings and Texts: Music, Literature and Performance in North India. Cambridge, UK: Open Book Publishers, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.11647/OBP.0062 Further details about CC BY licenses are available at http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/ In order to access detailed and updated information on the license, please visit: http://www.openbookpublishers.com/isbn/9781783741021#copyright All external links were active on 22/09/2015 and archived via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine: https://archive.org/web/ Digital material and resources associated with this volume are available at http:// www.openbookpublishers.com/isbn/9781783741021#resources ISBN Paperback: 978-1-78374-102-1 ISBN Hardback: 978-1-78374-103-8 ISBN Digital (PDF): 978-1-78374-104-5 ISBN Digital ebook (epub): 978-1-78374-105-2 ISBN Digital ebook (mobi): 9978-1-78374-106-9 DOI: 10.11647/OBP.0062 King’s College London has generously contributed to the publication of this volume.
    [Show full text]
  • The Jain Digamber Sampraday
    The Jain Digamber Sampraday The history of Digamber sect for the first six centuries is very hazy. The Digambers unlike Shwetambers did not write detailed historical accounts of their sect, and what has been written seems to have been created around the 6th century AD (based on the inscription found in Shravana Belgola). According to Digamber tradition, the breakup of joint sangh began with Vishaka, who was a disciple of Bhadraprabhu. Many believe that it was in the 2nd century AD that Acharya Kundakunda set the Digamber tradition on a firm footing. Today most Digamber traditions revere Acharya Kundakunda more than Vishaka and Bhadraprabhu, who are otherwise above in the lineage of saints. Digamber Sampraday, in recent centuries, has been divided into the following sub-sects: Majot sub-sects: 1. Bispanth 2. Digamber Terapanth 3. Taranapanth or Samaiyapanth Other sub-sects: a. Gumanapanth b. Totapanth c. Kanji-Panth 1. Bispanth, according to some, is the original group of Digamber sect and has the highest following among all Digamber Jains. Bispanth has a large following in Karnatka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The followers of Bispanth support the Dharma-gurus, that is, religious authorities known as Bhattarak who are also the heads of Jain Maths (monasteries). The Bisapanth, in their temples, worship the idols of Tirthankaras. They also worship the idols of Ksetrapala, Padmavati and other deities. 2. Digamber Terapanth arose in North India in the year 1664 AD as a revolt against the domination and conduct of the Bhattarakas. As a result, in this sub-sects, the institution of Bhattarakas lost respect in North India.
    [Show full text]
  • HERE-NOW4U :Flügel :Zum Ursprung Der Terapanth Svetambara Jain Tradition
    HERE-NOW4U :Flügel :Zum Ursprung der Terapanth Svetambara Jain Tradition Wege durch die Zeit ins 21. Jahrhundert Zum Ursprung der Terapanth Svetambara Jain Tradition Peter Flügel Redaktion: Carla Geerdes Im Zentrum der Jaina-Religion stehen monastische Gemeinschaften, die von lokalen Laiengemeinden unterstützt werden. Diese Gemeinschaften sind nicht einheitlich organisiert, sondern in eine Reihe von Sekten und Orden gespalten. Heute verteilen sich die etwa zwölftausend Jaina-Mönche und Jaina-Nonnen auf die vier grossen Schulen der bilderverehrenden Bisapanth Digambara und Murtipujak Svetambara und der nicht- bilderverehrenden Sthanakavasi und Terapanth Svetambara. Diese Schulen sind wiederum in eine Vielzahl organisatorisch unabhängiger Sekten, Orden und Wandergruppen untergliedert. Die vier Haupttraditionen sind nicht durch segmentäre Gruppenspaltungen, sanghabheda, sondern durch doktrinäre Schismen, matbheda, entstanden, die im Gegensatz zu früheren Häresien, nihnava, durch Ordensbildungen tradiert wurden. Schon im ersten Jahrhundert n. Chr. trennten sich bekanntlich die ‘nackten’ Digambara und die ‘weissgekleideten’ Svetambara. Im 15. Jahrhundert spalteten sich die bilderverehrenden und die nicht-bilderverehrenden Svetambara, die heute von den im 17. Jahrhundert entstandenen Sthanakavasi-Traditionen und von dem im 18. Jahrhundert abgezweigten Terapanth repräsentiert werden. Im Folgenden werden die dramatischen Ereignisse in Mevar nachgezeichnet, die zur Abspaltung des Terapanth von der Dharmadasa Sthanakavasi-Tradition führten. Über
    [Show full text]
  • Jainism in Medieval India (1300-1800) Prologue
    JAINISM IN MEDIEVAL INDIA (1300-1800) PROLOGUE - English Translation by S.M. Pahedia It is essential to weigh the contemporary social and political background while considering the conditions and thriving of Jainism in mediaeval India. During this period, Indian society was traditionally divided into Hindu and Jain religion. Buddhism had well-nigh disappeared from Indian scenario. The Indian socio-cultural infrastructure faced sufficient change owing to the influence of Islam that infiltrated into India through the medium of the Arab, the Turk, the Mughal and the Afghan attacks. Though the new entrants too were by and large divided into Sunni, Shiya and Sufi sects, they were all bound firmly to Islam. Ofcourse, Islam brought in new life-values and life-styles in Indian life owing to which the inevitability for reconsidering the shape of social structure and traditional-philosophico facets was felt, perhaps very badly. And this very condition caused rise of some new sects like Bhakti, Saint and Sikh invigorated primarily by the Vedantist, Ramanuja, Madhav, Nimbark, Ramanand Chaitanya, Vallabha etc. With this cultural background, centuries old Digambara and Shavetambara amnay (tradition) was telling its own separate tale. Fore more than one reason, these branches were further divided into sects, sub-sects, ganas , gachchas , anvayas , sanghas & C. as time rolled by. Same way, Bhattaraka, Chaityavasi, Taranpanth, Sthanakvasi practices came into view introducing their own religious formalities, life-fashions, code of conduct, and to some extent the philosophical views. Such being the condition, Jainism of medioeval India witnessed its wide extension. At the same time, it met with certain difficulty also.
    [Show full text]
  • The Uses of Jain Sati Name Lists
    8 THINKING COLLECTIVELY ABOUT JAIN SATIS The uses of Jain sati name lists M. Whitney Kelting Jains venerate virtuous women (satis) who are virtuous and who, through their virtue, protect, promote, or merely uphold Jain values and the Jain religion. Jains narrate the lives of satis both individually and in the context of Jain Universal Histories (such as the Fvetambar Trisastifalakapurusacaritra of Hemacandra and the Digambar Adipuraja of Jinasena) and some of these satis are named in early Jain texts like the Fvetambar Kalpa Sutra. Fvetambar Jains also list satis (often sixteen of the following names: Brahmi, Sundari, Candanbala, Rajimati, Draupadi, Kaufalya, Mrgavati, Sulasa, Sita, Subhadra, Fiva, Kunti, Filavati, Damayanti, Puspacula, Prabhavati, and Padmavati) who stand in for the greater totality of satis. They also have more inclusive lists which extend the title sati to an unbounded number of women. Sati lists, through their fluidity and their inclusivity, serve as representatives of the totality of women’s virtue and as such are efficacious primarily by creating auspiciousness but also by reducing karma. While satis are revered in all Jain sects, this discussion is centered on the ways that Fvetambar Murtipujak Tapa Gacch Jains have constructed the idea of collectivities of satis.1 At present there are five gacchs (mendicant lineages) of Fvetambar Murtipujak Jain mendicants: Tapa, Añcal, Khartar, Paican, and Tristuti. Between 85 and 90 percent of the Fvetambar Murtipujak mendicants belong to the Tapa Gacch, which was formed in
    [Show full text]
  • History of Buddhism and Jainism Upto 1000 A.D
    Syllabus M.A. Part - II Paper - VII : (Option B) History of Buddhism and Jainism upto 1000 A.D. 1. Sources (Buddhism) a) Canonical and Non-Canonical Pali Literature b) Art and Architecture. 2. The Buddha Life of Buddha (from Birth till the Mahaparinirvana). 3. Teachings of Buddha a) Four Noble Truths. Eight fold path b) Law of Dependent Origination. (Paticcaccsamuccapada) c) Origin and Development of Sangha and Vinaya. 4. Buddhism and its Expansion a) Three Buddhist Councils b) Dhamma messengers sent by Asoka (Ashoka) after 3rd Buddhist Council, c) Buddhist Sects. 5. Impact of Buddhism on Society. a) Epistemological and Logical Aspects of Buddhism. 6. Sources (Jainism) Agamas - Literature of Jaina. Art and Architecture. 7. The Mahavira. Life of Mahavira. 8. Teachings of Mahavira a) Ethics b) NineTattvas c) Anekaravada • d) Six Dravyas 9. Spread of Jainism. a) Three Jaina councils b) King Samprati‘s contribution. c) Major Jain Sects 10. Impact of Jainism on Society 1 SOURCES OF BUDDHISM : (LITERARY SOURCES) Unit Structure : 1.0 Objectives 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Importance of Various Sources 1.3 Literary Sources Canonical Pali Literature 1.4 Non-Canonical Pali Literature 1.5 How Authentic is Pali -Literature ? 1.6 Summary 1.7 Suggested Readings 1.8 Unit End Questions 1.0 OBJECTIVES (A) By reading this material student will understand which sources should be utilized for getting the information about Ancient Indian History and Culture & History of Buddhism itself. (B) Student will understand importance of the original literary sources known as ‗BUDDHA VACANA‘(Words of the Buddha) and its allied literature as a chief source for deriving information pertaining to history and culture.
    [Show full text]
  • To Read/Download Judgment
    WWW.LIVELAW.IN Writ Petition No.8310/2019 (PIL) - 1 - HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH, BENCH AT INDORE Division Bench : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S. C. SHARMA AND HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SHAILENDRA SHUKLA Writ Petition No.8310/2019 (PIL) Aarsh Marg Seva Trust and Another Versus State of Madhya Pradesh and Others Counsel for the : Mr. Ashish S. Sharma, learned counsel for Parties the petitioners. Mr. Abhishek Tugnawat, learned Government Advocate for the respondents / State. Mr. Veer Kumar Jain, learned Senior Counsel with Ms. Vaishali Jain, learned counsel for the respondent No.6. Whether approved : Yes for reporting Law laid down : 1) Terapanthi is a sect of Jain religion, which carries out Jalabhishek to Jin Pratima, which is being performed since time immemorial by men in respect of idol of Bawangajaji (Tirthankar) only to ensure that the Rules of Brahmcharya are followed. The practice is integral to the temple and it is “essential religious practice” of the temple and in noway amounts to discrimination keeping in view Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees protection of the cherished liberties of faith, belief and worship to persons belonging to all religions in a secular polity. 2) Judicial review of religious practices ought not be undertaken, as the Court cannot impose its morality or rationality with respect to the form of worship of a deity. Doing so would negate the WWW.LIVELAW.IN Writ Petition No.8310/2019 (PIL) - 2 - freedom to practice one's religion according to one's faith and beliefs. It would amount to rationalising religion, faith and beliefs, which is outside the ken of Courts.
    [Show full text]
  • PROGRAM and ABSTRACTS
    11TH DANAM CONFERENCE – 2013 Baltimore, Maryland 22-23 November 2013 PROGRAM and ABSTRACTS FRIDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2013 HILTON HOTEL, Key Ballroom 1 9:00 – 9:05 a.m. Opening Remarks SESSION 1 (M22-101) 9:05 – 11:00 a.m. Theme: Charisma and Controversy: Gurus of the Jain Tradition Convener and Presider: Anne Vallely, University of Ottawa Samani Unnata Prejna, Florida International University The Sacred & the Secular in the Life of Acharya Tulsi Acharya Tulsi led the Terapanth Congregation from 1936 to 1997. During his life he was treated as a sacred, sanctified being, and this has continued in many ways following his death. Within Jainism, what components lead to this ideation? In what way is one person “more sacred” than another? Is reverence to the Guru simply a traditional practice or does it find its basis within Jain doctrine? Some acts of reverence are themselves expressions of the sacred, such as prayer. Yet, other expressions of reverence do not evoke sacredness – such as the naming a school or a building in memory and reverence of a Guru, or naming a journal in his name. This paper will explore the idea of the sacred within Jainism and, more particularly, it will examine the sacred and secular forms of reverence toward Acharya Tulsi in history (which are particularly fitting now given the celebration of the centennial.) Pankaj Jain, University of North Texas and Dr.Vasant Joshi (Swami Satya Vedant), Osho World Foundation, New Delhi Osho: The Ultra-modern Trans-Jain Guru of 20th century In her review of Cort’s article on Taran Svami sect of Digambar Jainism, Anne Vallely called Osho “one of the spiritual superstars of the 20th century”.
    [Show full text]
  • Faith in Action: Religious Organisations and Development in Kolkata, India
    Thesis submitted for the qualification of PhD in Geography Faith in action: religious organisations and development in Kolkata, India Jennifer Claire Lunn Department of Geography Royal Holloway University of London September 2010 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis, submitted for the qualification of PhD in Geography at Royal Holloway University of London, is my own original work and has not been submitted elsewhere for any other award. Where other sources of information have been used, they are clearly acknowledged. Signature Date 2 Abstract Religion has returned to the public sphere after a long absence. Ideas of progressive secularisation, dominant for the last century, have been proved wrong by the revival and spread of religion across the world. Accordingly, religion has emerged as a revitalised topic of enquiry in almost every social science discipline. This includes the field of international development, where religion has appeared on the agendas of academics, policy-makers and practitioners. This research is framed within postdevelopment theory, which seeks to identify alternative approaches to development that are culturally specific and locally rooted; this includes incorporating the religious or spiritual dimension into development. One significant aspect of religion and development is the role of religious organisations as development actors. Although religious organisations have always been involved in development, their presence has been sidelined and their contribution undervalued: a better understanding is urgently required. There are major questions being asked about religious organisations in terms of the extent of their contribution to development, the ways in which they differ from secular organisations, their effectiveness, and the nature of their relationships with other development actors.
    [Show full text]
  • Demographic Trends in Jaina Monasticism
    12 DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS IN JAINA MONASTICISM Peter Flügel The study of Jainism as a living religion is still hampered by a lack of reliable sociological and demographic information both on the Jain laity and Jain mendicants.1 Most empirical studies to date have been thematically oriented or were of an exploratory nature. They were based on the methods advanced by the classical anthropological village studies or on small surveys of a non- representative nature.2 In both cases, the units of investigation were defined in terms of observer categories3 which were often created ad hoc in the field due to the advantages of snowball sampling under conditions of limited resources. In a paper read at the American Oriental Society Meeting in 1978, at a time when comprehensive field studies had yet to be conducted, the late Kendall Folkert (1993: 156) suggested avoiding the inevitable abstractions of ‘general accounts of the Jains’ by concentrating on ‘the smaller divisions within the tradition’ which ‘have actually been the basic units of the tradition’. What Folkert had in mind was to study the individual ‘schools, sects or orders’ (gaccha) of the Jain mendicant tradition,4 rather than ‘Jain religious culture’ in general.5 Certainly, not all Jains coalesce around monastic groups, but the majority does so in one way or another. The investigation of categories which are recognised by the Jains themselves promises indeed to yield testable results of greater accuracy and relevance for the Jain community itself. However, the research programme envisaged
    [Show full text]