Doctoral Dissertations in Jaina and Buddhist Studies

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain, Arun Pratap Sinh
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

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PREFACE
The Gramanic Traditions—Jainism and Buddhism-have immensely contributed to the philosophical, religious, literary and cultural heritage of India. They have left no subject worth the name untouched. Near about half of the ancient Indian literature belongs to Jainism and Buddhism, so is the case with Indian art and architecture. More than six hundred scholars have been awarded Ph. D. Degrees for their work in these fields by various Indian universities. At present, near about 150 students are working in these fields of studies, Only at Varanasi more than 40 students are writing their theses on subjects related to Buddhism and Jainism.
Researchers are anxious to know what have been done, what is being done and what is to be done in these areas of studies. But unfortunately they cannot do so at present because of non-availability of any bibliographies or subject indices containing information about the researches in these fields of studies. With the exception of the list, puplished by Dr. Gokul Chandra Jain in Jõānapitha Patrikā 1969 and 1970, no serious effort has been made in this direction so far. It is because of this ignorance that there has been a lack of coordination among the research projects undertaken. Scholars are working on the same topic and on the same line without knowing what already has been done in their special field of study. Consequently the research scholars are doing a lot of repetative work, without making any contribution to the real advancement of these studies. For example, only on Dhanapāla's Tilaka Mañjari four theses have been written, so is the case with some Jaina Puranas and other topics. It is also interesting to note that only on the Jaina Rāma Kathā literature more than one dozen theses have been awarded Ph. D. Degrees by various Indian Universities.