The Golden Books series of India religions is specially planned and designed for the general educated reader in India and abroad, who in the 21st century of the Third Millennium, wants to know about them to contribute his lot to the fast growing globalisation of world cultures. It includes Vedic, Upanishadic, Buddhistic and Jain religions, the mainstay of Indian culture, which have made their mark in various ways in Asia and the West since olden times. In terror-stricken modern times also, they are trying to play their role in setting things right and devising a new, eclectic way of life.
Indian religions have lots of philosophy and hundreds of scriptures with commentaries and commentaries on commentaries, which present a highly complicated picture especially in comparison to one-book religion-cultures. The Golden Books select the most important and the best of them, translated into simple, easy and understandable English, by learned scholars and present them in capsule form for wider use and benefit.
Jainism is a most interesting religion-cultural group, comparable to Buddhism, which holds immediate attention by the unique customs and practices of its white-clad and unclad- 'clad-by-air'- mendicants. But it is much older to Buddhism, and much stricter in matters of non-killing, the special theory of India, brought over by Gandhi to modern times and used in an unexpected context. Its philosophy is also much more fundamental as well as elaborate, and more convincing in comparison to the six Hindu as well as many Buddhist philosophies. The Syadvada/Anekantavada is a gem, to say the least. The scriptures are very many, which extended to poetry, drama, etc. Here is a selection of the most pertinent and the best of these, which succeed in presenting a comprehensive picture of its concepts, practices of the holy order and laity, and life in general. The reader will find parts of the work quite interesting and enlightening. |
