The Heart of Jainism

The book begins by locating Jainism within the wider religious history of ancient India and presenting it as an independent tradition closely related to, but distinct from, Brahmanism and Buddhism. It examines the reform movements of the sixth century BCE, the life and teachings of Mahāvīra, the earlier Tīrthaṅkaras, and the formation of the fourfold Jain community of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Particular attention is given to the historical survival of Jainism, its westward expansion, and the institutional role of the lay community in sustaining the religion. The central sections explain Jain philosophy and practice through the doctrines of multiple eternal souls, karmic bondage, non-violence, austerity, ethical restraint, and liberation. The book then follows Jain religious life from birth and marriage to death, describing the obligations of householders, the strict discipline of ascetics, the hierarchy of religious authorities, and the rituals, festivals, temples, sacred images, myths, and literary achievements of the tradition. Its concluding chapter compares Jainism with Christianity from an explicitly missionary standpoint, reflecting the theological assumptions of the series in which the work was published.