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Recent Jaina Scholarship in Japan
Dr. Atsushi Uno Professor Emeritus, Hiroshima University
Jainism, a great religious tradition which arose from the spiritual soil of Indian long before the Christian era. It has a longer history than Buddhism, the other major philosophical system which has exerted a considerable influence on the spiritual life of India. The cultural heritage of India has, in fact, been sustained by three great religions - Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Jainism and Buddhism bear a close resemblance to each other in many respects -- especially in matters of tenet -- yet, it is deplorable that so little is known about Jainism outside India.
For hundreds of years in Japan, the study of Buddhism was undertaken almost exclusively on the basis of Chinese translations of the Buddhist canons and its commentaries. These early Japanese scholars, however, aimed at spiritual peace rather than a fulfillment of intellectual curiosity. Since their study of Indian thought was chiefly centred on Buddhism as a religion, "Indian philosophy" has been understood by the Japanese as synonymous with "Buddhismism."
Japanese scholars of the past have no doubt made a considerable contribution to the study of Buddhism. In the present state, however, Indological studies in Japan show a great deal of variety, but, on the whole, Buddhism is still the chief object of scholarship. The beginning of Jaina studies in Japan came much later. Buddhist sources, however, do not
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