Lessons of Ahimsa and Anekanta for Contemporary Life

Author(s): Tara Sethia
Publisher: California State Polytechnic University Pomona

Page 154

Tara Sethia, "Mahavira's Teachings in Indian History Textbooks"
I. Inadequate Coverage
I fully recognize that given the longevity and complexity of Indian History, a textbook can only provide limited space to the discussion of various topics. Given such limitation, however, it is even more important that whatever information is provided on any topic in a textbook is at least fundamental and central to the understanding of the topic, is balanced and historically supported. To assess the adequacy of coverage of Jainism in these texts, I have asked the following questions. Is the coverage of this topic too little or too much for a college textbook?Is the information provided central and germane or is it marginal or superfluous to the proper understanding of Jainism? Is it balanced or biased?
Response to these questions may differ from one reviewer to the other, but it is possible to arrive at some consensus on what might be covered for a proper understanding of Jainism in the context of Indian History. For instance, it will be reasonable to expect to learn about Jainism from an Indian History textbook in terms of the following. What was the historical milieu of Mahavira, the 'founder' of Jainism? What was the larger context in which Jainism emerged and subsequently evolved? How is Mahavira represented in Indian History? What do we learn about his world-view, key concepts, and fundamental teachings or lessons? What do we learn about his followers, patrons, and persecutors of Jainism? What has been the larger historical significance of Jainism in terms of the historical change and impact within and outside India? Equally important is the question of how this information about Jain tradition is integrated in the larger scheme of historical narrative about India.
My analysis suggests that by and large, the coverage of Jainism in the texts books under review is less than adequate. Political history appears as a predominant theme in most of these narratives, except in books by Burton Stein and Romila Thapar. The extent and quality of coverage on Jainism varies a great deal in these books. I will briefly discuss each of these books in terms of its approach and coverage of this topic.
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