________________ RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE JAINAS World's Parliament of Religions was held at Chicago in 1893 A. D. V.R. Gandhi was an exponent of Jainism at this first Parliament. His lectures on Jainism and Jain Philosophy, delivered at this Parliament, were collected and published in two books entitled The Jaina Philosophy (1910 and 1924) and The Karma Philosophy (1913 and 1924). The present publication is a part of the Centenary Celebrations of that first Parliament. Dr. N. J. Shah, who is an eminent scholar of Jainism and Indian Philosophy, has from these lectures selected passages and arranged them in the present book in such a manner as to give a connected, consistent and systematic account of the Jain Philosophy and Religion. He has added at appropriate places headings and sub-headings to indicate the point under discussion. The present book* is divided into four parts . Part Chapter I deals with 'Cultural Environment' : antiquity of Indian civilization and the Vedas, social status of early Hindus, moral status of the Hindus' life, its object and laws according to Hindus, six systems of philosophy, essential principles of Hinduism and essentials of Buddhism and thus prepares the ground for a proper understanding and appreciation of the Jain Philosophy and Religion (pp. 3-39). Part II (consisting of Chapters 2 to 7) explains the essentials of Jain Philosophy. Chapter 2 presents bare outlines of the fundamentals of Jainism : nine principles, six substances, six kinds of living beings, four states of existence, transmigration, Karma and Jain ethics. Chapter 3 treats of the Jain conception of reality and knowledge. Chapter 4 treats of the Jain conception of soul. Chapter 5 deals with the Jain view of the universe, chapter 6, with the Jain view of God and Chapter 7 with Jain Symbolism (pp. 43-95). Part III (consisting of chapters 8 to 16) is devoted to the exposition of the unique Jain theory of karma. It treats of the nature of karma, relation between soul and karma, and eightfold classification of karma, the causes of karma, * RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE JAINAS, Virchand Gandhi, edited by Nagin J. Shah, published by Lalit C. Shah, Trustee, Jain International, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380014, 1993, pp. 232, Rs. 80/Stud.-23 For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org Jain Education International