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growing body of scholarly research conducted in this field by both Indian and Western
scholars. Most of the works have investigated the core doctrines, the doctrinal differences
between Jain sects, Jain logic, Jain art, Jain law, and women in Jainism often through a
multi-disciplinary lens. Contemporary scholars have conducted ethnographic studies on
rituals and worship among Jains in India. However, until now, the Anuvrat Movement
within Jainism has been neglected in modern scholarship.
The study of the Anuvrat Movement is also a study of the impact made by one
monk, a leader considered by many to have demonstrated great courage, wisdom and
compassion, even in difficult adverse situations. The study of the Anuvrat Movement
could be helpful within Jainism itself for a reevaluation of the movement and its
strategies and could also assist in answering an important question within the larger field
of religion and spirituality: How do people who profess specific moral principles actually
act and how do they reinterpret vows over time? The study also explores the social
significance of the concepts of nonviolence, social justice and sustainability in the wider
global community.
Structure of the Study
My thesis on the Anuvrat Movement is comprised of six chapters. The current
chapter introduces the main ideas and the goals of the thesis, its significance and the
methodologies employed in order to accomplish the goals. Chapter 2 reviews the
movement from a historical perspective. In the light of the interviews conducted with
mendicants and the laity, it provides an account of the circumstances in which the
movement emerged, along with an outline of its origin, evolution and its expansion.
