Jainism : From Bhagavan Mahavira to Mahatma Gandhi

Supported by FLAME University and the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, this work underscores Mahavira’s legacy in promoting non­violence and ecological consciousness, offering a nuanced perspective on Jainism’s relevance to modern sustainability challenges. Through rigorous analysis and interdisciplinary insights.

Dr. Pankaj Jain’s monograph on Mahavira, the 24th Tirtha?kara of Jainism, offers a comprehensive exploration of his life, teachings, and enduring influence on Jain virtue ethics and environmental sustain­ability. Structured around the five Jain milestones – conception, birth, renunciation, omniscience, and liberation – the manuscript draws from primary Prakrit and Sanskrit texts, as well as secondary sources in English, Hindi, and Gujarati, to construct a detailed biography. It ad­dresses the scarcity of English-language works on Mahavira compared to those on Buddhism, emphasizing his role in shaping Jainism’s distinct identity. The introduction critiques the ‘imperialism of categories’, advocating for a dharmic framework that intertwines philosophy, religion, and ecology, avoiding Western dichotomies. Jainism’s core virtues – Ahimsa (non­violence), Aparigraha (non-accumulation), and Anekanta­vada (pluralism) – are explored as foundational to sustainable prac­tices, influencing figures like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. The manuscript highlights Jainism’s environmental contributions, such as vegetarianism and animal sanctuaries, exemplified by inst­itutions like the Sumati Jeev Raksha Kendra.