What do you think?
Rate this book
Comparative Studies in Religion and Society
Absent Lord: Ascetics and Kings in a Jain Ritual Culture (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society)
What does it mean to worship beings that one believes are completely indifferent to, and entirely beyond the reach of, any form of worship whatsoever? How would such a relationship with sacred beings affect the religious life of a community? Using these questions as his point of departure, Lawrence A. Babb explores the ritual culture of image-worshipping Svetambar Jains of the western Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Jainism traces its lineages back to the ninth century B.C.E. and is, along with Buddhism, the only surviving example of India's ancient non-Vedic religious traditions. It is known and celebrated for its systematic practice of non-violence and for the intense rigor of the asceticism it promotes. A unique aspect of Babb's study is his linking of the Jain tradition to the social identity of existing Jain communities.
Babb concludes by showing that Jain ritual culture can be seen as a variation on pan-Indian ritual patterns. In illuminating this little-known religious tradition, he demonstrates that divine "absence" can be as rich as divine "presence" in its possibilities for informing a religious response to the cosmos.
Jainism traces its lineages back to the ninth century B.C.E. and is, along with Buddhism, the only surviving example of India's ancient non-Vedic religious traditions. It is known and celebrated for its systematic practice of non-violence and for the intense rigor of the asceticism it promotes. A unique aspect of Babb's study is his linking of the Jain tradition to the social identity of existing Jain communities.
Babb concludes by showing that Jain ritual culture can be seen as a variation on pan-Indian ritual patterns. In illuminating this little-known religious tradition, he demonstrates that divine "absence" can be as rich as divine "presence" in its possibilities for informing a religious response to the cosmos.
260 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 1996
47 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 25, 2024
This book was great! It's the most comprehensive book about Jainism I've read so far.
The author talks about the main practices and figures in Svetambara Jainism, as well as some stories told during rituals. It places those practices within the cultural perspective of practitioners, which is a fun read, even though the book is a bit old.
I've rated it 4/5 because the transliteration made it very difficult to research some terms used.
The author talks about the main practices and figures in Svetambara Jainism, as well as some stories told during rituals. It places those practices within the cultural perspective of practitioners, which is a fun read, even though the book is a bit old.
I've rated it 4/5 because the transliteration made it very difficult to research some terms used.
January 6, 2024
A fantastic volume emphasizing Jain ritual culture.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews