Padmanabh Jaini
Encyclopedia
Prof. Dr. Padmanabh Shrivarma Jaini is a India
born scholar of Jainism
and Buddhism
, currently living in Berkeley, USA. He was born in a Digambar family, however he is equally familiar with both the Digambara and Svetambara
forms of Jainism. He has taught at the Banaras Hindu University
, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the University of Michigan
at Ann Arbor and at the University of California
at Berkeley, from where he retired in 1994. Professor Jaini is the author of several books and papers. His best known work is The Jaina Path of Purification (1979). Some of his major articles have been published under titles: The Collected Papers on Jaina Studies (2000) and Collected Papers on Buddhist Studies (2001).
, Karnataka
,India. His father had abandoned his caste name of Shetty
and adopted the name of Jaini—after the famous Jain scholar, J. L. Jaini—responding to calls within the community to change their names to foster a greater sense of Jain identity. After completing his elementary education, he was sent to Digambara Jain Gurukul, a boarding school in Vidharbha, Maharashtra. It was run on traditional Jain principles and here he came in contact with Jain scholars of his time like – Pandit Nathuram Premi
, Dr. Hiralal Jain, Dr. A. N. Upadhye.
After completing his secondary education here, he went to Arts College at Nashik where he took the degree of BA hons in 1947 in Sanskrit and Prakrit. During this time he supported himself by taking a job as a superintendent of a Jain Svetambara Hostel and thus coming in contact with the Svetambara
community for the first time.
Jain tradition. His daily meeting with Sanghavi, involved not only a formal and rigorous instruction in Jain logic, but he was also exposed to Sanghavi’s views on various sectarian debates and controversies. With Sukhlalji’s encouragement he studied Pali canon
and decided to continue his post graduate studies in Sri Lanka, thus acquiring a through knowledge of Pali Canon and Buddhist scriptures. Here he became a Dharmananda Kosambi memorial Scholar and met Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (before his conversion to Buddhism) and was awarded Tripatakacarya degree in 1951 at the residence of the Prime Minister Senanayake. His years in Srilanka were the basis for his first publication in Gujarati
, “Ceylonman Be Varsa” (Two years in Ceylon). It contains much information on the Theravada Buddhism philosophy and practices.
On returning he took up position as a lecturer in Ahmedabad and in 1952 he took up position as a lecturer in Pali in Benaras university. Subsequently he took up position as a lecturer in Pali and Sanskrit with SOAS, London from 1956 to 1957. There under John Borough
’s supervision he completed his Ph.D. in Buddhist work, Abhidharmadipa. From there he travelled to Burma, Indonesia, Cambodia and Thailand to collect various Buddhist manuscripts which he later edited and translated for Pali Text Society
. Subsequently he moved to University of Michigan
as professor of Indic Languages and Literature up to 1972. .Thereafter from 1972 to 1994 he served as a professor of Buddhist studies in Department of South and Southeast Asian studies, University of Berkeley, California. After his retirement, he has continued as Professor Emeritus of the University. The University has constituted “Padmanabh S. Jaini Graduate Student Award in Buddhist Studies” that supports high-achieving graduate students in Buddhist Studies at UC Berkeley and honors Professor Jaini's important legacy in the field of Buddhist studies.
(First edition in 1979)
A partial list of works published by Pali text Society include:
His other works include "Abhidharma Buddhism to 150 A.D." published under Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies series.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
born scholar of Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
and Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, currently living in Berkeley, USA. He was born in a Digambar family, however he is equally familiar with both the Digambara and Svetambara
Svetambara
The Śvētāmbara is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being the Digambar. Śvētāmbara "white-clad" is a term describing its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara "sky-clad" Jainas, whose ascetic practitioners go naked...
forms of Jainism. He has taught at the Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
at Ann Arbor and at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Berkeley, from where he retired in 1994. Professor Jaini is the author of several books and papers. His best known work is The Jaina Path of Purification (1979). Some of his major articles have been published under titles: The Collected Papers on Jaina Studies (2000) and Collected Papers on Buddhist Studies (2001).
Early life and education
Jaini was born to a Jain family residing in Nellikar, a small town near MoodabidriMoodabidri
Moodabidri , is a small town 37 km northeast of the Dakshina Kannada district headquarters, Mangalore, in Karnataka, India....
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
,India. His father had abandoned his caste name of Shetty
Shetty
This is an article about a Bunt surname and should not be confused with similar sounding surnames like sethi, shetti, setty etc used by other Indian castes and alternatively spelled the same way...
and adopted the name of Jaini—after the famous Jain scholar, J. L. Jaini—responding to calls within the community to change their names to foster a greater sense of Jain identity. After completing his elementary education, he was sent to Digambara Jain Gurukul, a boarding school in Vidharbha, Maharashtra. It was run on traditional Jain principles and here he came in contact with Jain scholars of his time like – Pandit Nathuram Premi
Nathuram Premi
Nathuram Premi was a writer, publisher, poet, editor, linguist and an intellectual giant in the field of Jainism as well as Hindi literature. A budding poet, he wrote under the nom de plume of "Premi". Although belonging to the Digambara sect of Jainism, he adopted a non-sectarian attitude and...
, Dr. Hiralal Jain, Dr. A. N. Upadhye.
After completing his secondary education here, he went to Arts College at Nashik where he took the degree of BA hons in 1947 in Sanskrit and Prakrit. During this time he supported himself by taking a job as a superintendent of a Jain Svetambara Hostel and thus coming in contact with the Svetambara
Svetambara
The Śvētāmbara is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being the Digambar. Śvētāmbara "white-clad" is a term describing its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara "sky-clad" Jainas, whose ascetic practitioners go naked...
community for the first time.
Path to scholarship
After graduation, he was invited to study with Pandit Sukhlal Sanghavi, a renowned scholar belonging to the SthanakvasiSthanakvasi
Sthānakavāsī is a sect of Jainism founded by a merchant named Lavaji about 1653 CE that believes that God is nirakar "without form", and hence do not pray to any statue...
Jain tradition. His daily meeting with Sanghavi, involved not only a formal and rigorous instruction in Jain logic, but he was also exposed to Sanghavi’s views on various sectarian debates and controversies. With Sukhlalji’s encouragement he studied Pali canon
Pāli Canon
The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
and decided to continue his post graduate studies in Sri Lanka, thus acquiring a through knowledge of Pali Canon and Buddhist scriptures. Here he became a Dharmananda Kosambi memorial Scholar and met Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (before his conversion to Buddhism) and was awarded Tripatakacarya degree in 1951 at the residence of the Prime Minister Senanayake. His years in Srilanka were the basis for his first publication in Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
, “Ceylonman Be Varsa” (Two years in Ceylon). It contains much information on the Theravada Buddhism philosophy and practices.
On returning he took up position as a lecturer in Ahmedabad and in 1952 he took up position as a lecturer in Pali in Benaras university. Subsequently he took up position as a lecturer in Pali and Sanskrit with SOAS, London from 1956 to 1957. There under John Borough
John Borough
Sir John Borough was the Garter Principal King of Arms 1633-43.-Life:He was grandson of William Borough, of Sandwich, Kent, by the daughter of Basil Gosall, of Nieuwkerk, Brabant, and son of John Borough, of Sandwich, by his wife, daughter of Robert Denne, of Dennehill, Kent. He received a...
’s supervision he completed his Ph.D. in Buddhist work, Abhidharmadipa. From there he travelled to Burma, Indonesia, Cambodia and Thailand to collect various Buddhist manuscripts which he later edited and translated for Pali Text Society
Pali Text Society
The Pali Text Society was founded in 1881 by T.W. Rhys Davids "to foster and promote the study of Pali texts".Pali is the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved...
. Subsequently he moved to University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
as professor of Indic Languages and Literature up to 1972. .Thereafter from 1972 to 1994 he served as a professor of Buddhist studies in Department of South and Southeast Asian studies, University of Berkeley, California. After his retirement, he has continued as Professor Emeritus of the University. The University has constituted “Padmanabh S. Jaini Graduate Student Award in Buddhist Studies” that supports high-achieving graduate students in Buddhist Studies at UC Berkeley and honors Professor Jaini's important legacy in the field of Buddhist studies.
Works and publications
A partial list of his published works:(First edition in 1979)
A partial list of works published by Pali text Society include:
- Subodhalankara: Porana-tika (Mahasami-tika)
- Apocryphal Birth-Stories (Pannasa-Jataka)
- Lokaneyyapakarana
His other works include "Abhidharma Buddhism to 150 A.D." published under Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies series.