Introduction to Jainism

This book is a multi-faceted, thorough, and yet compact introduction to Jainism. It presents the history and scripture of Jainism, a religion that originated in ancient India and still exists today.

A work of primarily philological nature, giving a close look at the history and development of Jain scriptural traditions based on the tradition of German Indology, this accessible introduction is available for the first time for an English-speaking audience.

Readers will encounter an accessible, easy-to-read, and up-to-date overview of Jainism according to Svetambara tradition, with reference to the Digambara tradition as well.

The author also offers anthropological, archaeological, and art-historical information from the field of Jain Studies. It will be of interest to students studying Religious Studies, Asian Religions and South Asian Studies as well as a wider public audience without in-depth previous knowledge of Jainism looking for a concise, yet innovative and insightful introduction.