Sambodhi 1998 Vol 22

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah, N M Kansara
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 20

Vol XXII, 1998
JAIN STUDIES IN EUROPE
Ahimsā prepared by the Hamburg Institute for the Culture and History of India and Tibet
Further, some translations intended for the general public should be mentioned A Mette, Durch Entsagung zum Heil Eine Anthologie aus der Literatur der Jaina (Zurich 1991), the French translation, by Nalini Balbir and C Caillat, of Yogindu's Paramātmaprakāśa (Lumière de l'Absolu, Paris 1999)
Several other initiatives could be mentioned Because of the comparatively numerous Indian and Jaina communities who reside in Leicester (England), a Jaina temple has been consecrated in that town, and a Jaina University proposes a three year course in Jainism Similarly, in Antwerp (Belgium), "Sarasvati, Research Centre Indology" announces "in preparation a multi-lingual (English, Hindi, Gujarati) publication on the philosophical, religious and cultural aspects of Jainism ” In England and in France, introductions to Jainism have been issued Jainism explained (Jain Samaj Europe Publications, 1985), by Paul Marett, the translation into French by Pierre Amiel, of Vilas Sangave's Aspects of Jaina religion (Le Jainisme Philosophie et religion de l'Inde, Paris 1999) A more ambitious, well planned book is due to Kurt Titze, who "sees himself as an intermediate between scholars and the general user of public libraries", and secured contributions by K Bruhn, Jyoti Prasad Jain, Noel Q King, Vilas A Sangave, and others Jainism, A pictorial guide to the religion of non-violence, Delhi 1998 Finally, a recent, interesting attempt to reach a wide audience, on Internet, is due to Klaus Bruhn Five Vows and six Avashyakas The Fundamentals of Jaina Ethics (edited by Carla Geerdes 1999 [http //www herenow4u de/ger/spr/religion)) the paper is based on a short lecture held in Berlin in Dr N K Jain's Yoga School (20 04 1997) Further short documentary films dealing with various aspects of Jain culture (diksā, Digambara monks, pilgrimage to Palitana) are now regularly shown on French channels (directed by J - M Duhaut, D Soltan and F Raboton, etc )
From the above survey it should be clear that, in Europe, in spite of the limited number of scholars who have more or less specialized in Jainology, progress has continued regularly, new projects have been started, new problematics have emerged, and the general public is more and more informed and interested in Jainism