Jainism

Patrick Felix Krüger studied South Asian Art and Archaeology, History of East Asian Art at Free University of Berlin and South Asian History at Humboldt University of Berlin. Since 2016, he has been Research Associate at the Center for Religious Studies (CERES), Research Section for Jainism of Ruhr-University Bochum.Translators:Marion Frenger is an independent researcher and art historian specializing in the arts of South and Southeast Asia. She has published on both pre-modern and contemporary South Asian art and co-edited Von Gibraltar bis zum Ganges. Studien zur Islamischen Kunstgeschichte in memoriam Christian Ewert (2010).Christopher Jain Miller is Professor of Jain and Yoga Studies and VP of Academic Affairs at Arihanta Institute, Visiting Researcher at the University of Zürich’s Asien-Orient-Institut, and Visiting Professor at Claremont School of Theology. He is the author of Embodying Transnational Yoga: Eating, Singing, and Breathing in Transformation (Routledge 2024) and the co-editor of Engaged Jainism: Critical and Constructive Studies of Jain Social Engagement (SUNY 2025) as well as Beacons of Dharma: Spiritual Exemplars for the Modern Age (Lexington 2020).

Patrick Krüger’s Jainism: An Indian Religion of Nonviolence offers an accessible scholarly introduction to the Jain tradition. Drawing on his background in German Indology, Krüger explains the history, scriptures, and development of Jainism, raising thought-provoking questions for scholars and general readers alike about the teachings of a nonviolent religious tradition that remains perennially relevant.Christopher Jain Miller, Arihanta Institute, author of Embodying Transnational Yoga: Eating, Singing, and Breathing in TransformationPatrick Krüger’s Jainism: An Indian Religion of Nonviolence offers a meticulously researched and thematically comprehensive introduction to the Jain tradition. Grounded in the philological approach of German Indology, the volume presents both historical nuance and textual insight, while remaining accessible to a broad readership. It is a welcome and timely contribution to the growing field of Jain Studies and will serve as a valuable resource for scholars, educators, and students alike.Venu Mehta, Claremont School of Theology, USAThis is a highly informative and well-organized introduction to the Jain tradition. Its translation into English will be a boon both to students and to anyone who is interested in learning more about this fascinating tradition and its important and ever-relevant message of nonviolence. Covering topics ranging from history to literature to ascetic practice, it is a treasure trove of useful information for anyone who wants to learn more about how Jain traditions have been lived from the ancient past to the present day.Jeffery D. Long, Carl W. Zeigler Professor of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies, Elizabethtown College, USA

• List of Figures xForeword xiiAcknowledgments xivPrologue 11 The Jina 6The Jina Mahāvı̄ra 8The Legend of Mahāvı̄ra 11The Predecessors of Mahāvı̄ra 17Pārśva 19Ariṣṭanemi 20Ṛṣabha 212 Development and Growth of Jainism 24Beginnings 25Antiquity (ca. 500 BCE to 500 CE) 26Medieval Period (ca. 500 CE to 1500 CE) 30Modern Times (ca. 1500 CE to 1800 CE) 33Colonial Period and Present (since ca. 1800 CE) 35History of Academic Research 373 Literature and Tradition 41Canonical Literature 43The Books of the Canon 44Twelve ‘Limbs’ (aṅga) 44Twelve ‘Secondary Limbs’ (upāṅga) 46Chedasūtras 47Mūlasūtras 47Prakı̄rṇakasūtras 48Cūlikasūtras 49Post-Canonical and Modern Literature 494 Understanding the World, Ethics, and Philosophy 54Cosmology 55Time and Time Eras 56World and Universe 58Cosmos 58World 63Development and Transmission of Jain Cosmology 65Basic Ethical Principles of Jainism 74Conception of the Soul 77The Soul in the Cycles of Birth 78Embodiment and States of the Soul 80Living Beings 81Body 82Colors of the Soul 83Function and Effect of Karma 84Steps to Liberation 865 Religious Practice 93The Jain Community 93Religious Practice of Ascetics 95Religious Practice of the Laity 98Ceremonies of Worship 101Jain Deities 103Temples and Ascetic Lodgings 105Religious Festivals 108Pilgrimage 1126 Art and Symbolism 116The Representation of the Jina 117Bronze Altars 120Jain Painting and Book Art 123Wall and Ceiling Painting 123Painted Book Covers 124Palm Leaf Manuscripts 125Paper Manuscripts 126Jain Symbols 127Eight Auspicious Symbols (aṣṭamaṅgala) 127Sacred Syllables 129Epilogue 132Glossary 135Index 140