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Dāna and Dhyāna in Jaina Yoga: a Case Study of Prekṣādhyāna and the Terāpanth

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Dāna and Dhyāna in Jaina Yoga: a Case Study of Prekṣādhyāna and the Terāpanth i Dāna and Dhyāna in Jaina Yoga: A Case Study of Prekṣādhyāna and the Terāpanth by Smita Kothari A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department for the Study of Religion Collaborative Program in South Asian Studies and Environmental Studies University of Toronto © Copyright by Smita Kothari 2013 ii Dāna and Dhyāna in Jaina Yoga: A Case Study of Prekṣādhyāna and the Terāpanth Smita Kothari Doctor of Philosophy Department for the Study of Religion Collaborative Program in South Asian Studies and Environmental Studies University of Toronto 2013 Abstract This dissertation examines the role one aspect of the Jaina tradition plays in a globalized world in the 21st century vis-à-vis an economically viable, socially just, and ecologically sustainable society. I address this by means of an in-depth study of dāna (giving, gifting, charity) and dhyāna (meditation) conducting a case study of prekṣādhyāna, a form of meditation developed by the Terāpanth, a Śvetāmbara Jaina sect, in 1975 and their stance on dāna. These practices, the Terāpanth claim, are transformative on an individual and societal level. I argue that while prekṣādhyāna’s spiritually transformative influence remains narrowly circumscribed to the individual level, nevertheless it allows the Terāpanth to participate in the booming economy of the transnational yoga market. Yet, as my analyses of their historically controversial position on dāna vis-à-vis the Jaina position on dāna and the recent change in this position within the Terāpanth reveal, their ability to transform the world is limited to their own community. I explore, through participation/observation, how prekṣādhyāna as a performative ritual brings an individual closer to spiritual liberation, and attempt to demonstrate how the Terāpanth construct this practice as a form of modern yoga by using authoritative discourses of science and scripture. I conclude by offering some final iii thoughts on how successful the Terāpanth are in their dissemination of prekṣādhyāna to a global audience and what role the authoritative discourses of science and scripture play in the evaluation and/or erosion of Jaina theology. iv Acknowledgments This dissertation would not have been possible without the assistance of many people. I owe profound gratitude to my supervisor, Christoph Emmrich, who has been an amazing mentor and friend in every aspect of my academic life. He inspired me to think outside the box and encouraged me as I changed directions with my thesis into a relatively under-researched area in Jaina Studies. Over many cups of coffee he patiently listened to my early enthusiastic and unbridled passion for my research topic. His close reading of my work and his insightful comments, chapter by chapter; have been invaluable in shaping the dissertation to completion. I thank Stephen Scharper for his early mentorship and guidance in steering this project to the interdisciplinary work in environmental studies. His faith in the project encouraged me to pursue the collaborative project in environmental studies and his insights on the state of the environment and concern for social justice particularly inspired my work in chapter five. I would also like to extend my gratitude to my other committee member, Srilata Raman, whose theoretical conceptualization of the project was crucial. She and Christoph have been warm and generous in opening their home to my graduate colleaugues and me, in particular to the Hindu Studies Group, over many dinners and stimulating discussions with visiting scholars that nurtured my scholarly growth. I thank all of the scholars who have contributed with their comments on my work in public forums, at conferences and colloquiums. I thank all of my committee members for their public response to various chapters. I particularly thank Christopher Key v Chapple for his mentorship very early on as I conceived the project, and for leading me to study the Terāpanth. Special thanks go to the staff at the Department for the Study of Religion whose professionalism and kindness has been awesome. I thank Marilyn Colaco, Irene Kao, and Fereshteh Hashemi, our graduate administrator, who has always been there when one needs her to help navigate the administrative aspects of graduate studies. My heartfelt thanks go to all my friends for all their support and encouragement through the arduous task of writing this dissertation. To Lorraine Hill I owe a great debt for all her work copy editing all versions of this dissertation and for her many hours of walks and endless discussions about my work. I am grateful to Maithili Thayanithy for her hours of helping me conceptualize the project in its early stages and for her time in proofing the Sanskrit spellings in the dissertation; to Jasveen Puri for his research assistance in transcribing many hours of field interviews; to Simon Appolloni for all the endless discussions and for all his technical help with formatting; to Julie Mehta for her warmth and support throughout my graduate studies; to Cathy Albino and Llian Macrae for their enduring friendship; and to Julia Richardson for her warmth and intellectually stimulating conversations. I thank all the people in India during my fieldwork in Rajasthan and Gujarat without whose help my task would have been impossible. I pay my obeisance and am grateful to (in Ladnun, Rajasthan) to the late Ācārya Mahāprajña, the late Muni Dulharājji, Muni Mahendrakumar, Sādhvī Pramukhā Kanakprabhāji, and the entire Terāpanth ascetic community in Ladnun who shared their wisdom and clarified many questions for me. My deep gratitude goes to the Dhoka family, in particular Dharti and vi her father Pokhrajji, whose warmth and hospitality I will never be able to repay. I also thank the Rampurias, Pragati Bhatnagar, Trapti Jain and her grandfather, the great Jaina scholar, Sagarmal Jain. Particular thanks go to my Prakrit Professor, Jagat Ram Bhattacharya, and his wife, Lopamudra, for their warmth and generous spirit. I thank (in Jaipur) K. C. Sogani, Dayanand Bhargava, and Kusum Jain for their insights on Jainism and for their generosity during my many visits. In (Ahmedabad, Gujarat) I thank the Director of the Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology, Jitubhai Shah, Paṇḍit Rupendrakumar Pagaria, and Sunanda Shastri at Gujarat State University. I owe a debt of gratitude to my dear friends Sanjeev and Shivani Bothra and their parents Premji and Bijoyji for opening their home to me during my visits to Jaipur and for paving the way for me in Ladnun through their Terāpanth contacts. There are no bounds to their friendship and generosity. This dissertation would not have been possible without the generous financial support of the University of Toronto fellowship, FAS Study Elsewhere (LCTLs) for Research Purposes Funds, and the International Summer School of Jaina Studies. Finally, I thank my parents for giving me the drive to pursue my dreams. I thank my children, Rahul and Shefali, and my daughter-in-law Milica for their constant encouragement and for seeing me through to the end. I am grateful for our grand daughter, Ivanka, whose birth in July 2012 during the last year of the writing, brought joy and levity in my life. And most of all I thank my husband, Sharad Kothari, for his unwavering support and love through the ups and downs of life throughout the research and writing of this dissertation. When things got particularly stressful, he brought some perspective into my life. For all his support I am ever so grateful. vii Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................................... IV LIST OF CONVENTIONS ....................................................................................................................... IX GENERAL INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY ....................................................................................................................................... 3 PRINCIPAL SOURCES AND METHODS OF INQUIRY ............................................................................................... 5 FIELDSITES AND ETHNOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER SUMMARIES ........................................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER ONE – THE TERĀPANTH: HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION .................................. 17 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 THE TERĀPANTH: THE IMPETUS TOWARDS A NEW SECT .............................................................................. 17 The Terāpanth Institutions ....................................................................................................................... 20 Monastic Organization ................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Lay Community and its Organizations ................................................................................................................................... 23 SKETCHING THE FIELDSITES ................................................................................................................................
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