Jainism: History, Society, Philosophy and Practice

by Agustí Pániker

Jainism is a tradition which dates back thousands of years, which is unbelievably rich and profound, and which has certain unmistakable signs of identity. Contrary to what some might think, it is not in any sense a poor relation of Buddhism, nor is a strange, atheistic and ascetic sect within Hinduism. Jainism is, above all, the religion of non-violence (ahimsa), an ideal which all other religions of India were subsequently to make theirs and which was made universal by Gandhi in the 20th century. Like Buddhism, Jainism is a religion without God which paradoxically opens to the truly sacred in the deepest reaches of all living beings in the cosmos. And it is also the religion of non-absolutism (anekantavada), a particular form of philosophical pluralism, which seems astonishingly modern.

Genres: India, Religion

500 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

Agustí Pàniker (n. Barcelona; 1959) és editor i escriptor, especialitzat en la cultura de l'Índia. Fill del filòsof Salvador Pàniker i la dibuixant Núria Pompeia Vilaplana, és autor dels llibres El jainismo i Índika, aquest últim subtitulat "Una descolonització intel·lectual: reflexions sobre la història, l'etnologia, la política i la religió al Sud d'Àsia".

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este es un libro de una erudición inusitada y definitivamente el estudio más completo (y, a la vez, accesible) del Jainismo que he encontrado hasta el momento.