Jain Journal 2001 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 31

UNO JAINA STUDIES IN JAPAN
far, and Japanese scholars, there are many, have not persued in their attempt to specialise in Jainology.
When we want to predict the future of Jaina studies in Japan, the sphere in which research is likely to be carried would be, roughly speaking, confined to the following aspects.
175
1. Historical contact and inter-relation between Jainism and Buddhism, and mutual influence and assimilation thereof, not excluding other schools of Indian thought based on canonical
sources.
2. Modification and Development, if any in the teachings of Jainism studied from the polemics and apologetics of other schools of thought.
3. Study of Jaina literature in general.
Of course these studies can be persued and fulfiled to a certain extent only based on the nature of the available materials, and adequate knowledge of various aspects of Indology. Above all, the importance of the first and second topics mentioned above, is keenly felt among our scholars; and in these branches of Jainology, I am convined, much scope remains to be persued by Japanese scholars. I can acknowledge a growing tendency in this direction that some young scholars are trying to explore a new field in the Buddhist studies, bringing out the underlying currents of other schools in general; and Jainism and Buddhism in particular with special reference to history, metaphysics, logic and epistemology, etc. I am of definite opinion that these Japanese scholars are sure to produce a richer and profounder result than other foreign scholars, because of their greater command of the classical Chinese and Tibetan languages.
To mention here few scholars on Jainism in Japan, the first I have to mention, is Mr. J. Suzuki, perhaps the pioneer in this field, and student of Dr. J. Takakusu. He wrote his posthumous work entitled Jaina Sacred Books with ample knowledge of Pali, Sanskrit, Classical Chinese and Tibetan, which was published in 1920 as a part of 'Series of World's Sacred Books' and is regarded as the first attempt to give a critical introduction to Jainism ever done by a Japanese. He had contributed much to the study of Jainism, and Buddhism, and many scholars expected a brilliant future in him. But he passed away at the premature age of 30, and I have heard personally from one of colleagues how bitterly the loss of this genius pupil disheartened Dr. Takakusu; it was his genuine intention to send him to Germany to study under Dr. Hermann Jacobi. In a perusal of this work I cannot but be surprised to know how he could have, with all unfavourable conditions, such a