Sramana 2016 04

Author(s): Shreeprakash Pandey, Rahulkumar Singh, Omprakash Singh
Publisher: Parshvanath Vidhyashram Varanasi

Page 71

साहित्य-सत्कार
Book Review Book: Origin and Development of Jaina Sects, Dr. Arun Pratap Singh, Kala Prakashan, New Saket Colony, BHU, Varanasi, 2015, P. 186+XII, Hard Bound, Price-Rs. 550/-, ISBN- 978-93-8530946-5. This book discusses in detail the development of Jaina sects in space and time. The main theme of the book is to show the origin and antiquity of Jaina religion and to analyze the causes of the separation of united Jaina Church. From all available sources--literature, inscriptions, excavated materials- it has been proved that the antiquity of the Jaina religion goes as back as to the dawn of Indian civilization. It was contemporary to Vedic religion and predecessor to the religion of Śākya Munī. It throws fresh light on the dissension within the Church organization which ultimately led to the emergence of several sects and sub-sects. The book is divided into seven chapters namely-Origin and antiquity of Jaina Religion, Nihnavas (schismatics), Schism in Jaina Sangha (Digambara and Śvetāmbara) Part-I, Schism in Jaina Sangha (Yāpanīya and Kūrcaka) Part-II, History of Ganas and sākhās, Gacchas and Schools of Svetāmbara Sect, Modern Gacchas and School of Digambara sects- with two appendixes and an exhaustive Bibliography. The two Appendixes deal at length with the lives and teachings of Pārsvanātha and Mahāvīra, the last two Jīnas of present Avasarpiņi (aeon) in historical perspective and their contributions to Jainism in particular and entire humanity as a whole.. Highlighting the importance of the book Prof. M.N.P. Tiwari writes in 'Preface' of this book, "the book by Dr. Singh for the first time presents a holistic, analytical, comparative and most updated study of origin and development of Jaina sects. He has culled the data