Padmanabh Jaini

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Padmanabh Jaini
Born
Nellikar, Karnataka
NationalityIndian

Padmanabh Shrivarma Jaini (October 23, 1923 - May 25, 2021) was an Indian born scholar of

the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and at the University of California at Berkeley, from which he retired in 1994. Jaini was 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 these titles: The Collected Papers on Jaina Studies (2000) and Collected Papers on Buddhist Studies (2001). He died on 25 May 2021 at Berkeley at age 97.[1]

Early life and education

Jaini was born to a

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.[4]

Path to scholarship

After graduation, he was invited to study with Pandit

Ceylon). It contains much information on the Theravada Buddhism philosophy and practices.[6]

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.[7] 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 Jaini's important legacy in the field of Buddhist studies.[8]

Works and publications

A partial list of his published works:

  • Jaini, Padmanabh (1998). The Jaina Path of Purification. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. . (First edition in 1979)
  • Jaini, Padmanabh (1991). Gender and Salvation: Jaina Debates on the Spiritual Liberation of Women. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Jaini, Padmanabh (2000). Collected Papers on Jaina Studies. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ. .
  • Jaini, Padmanabh (2001). Collected Papers on Buddhist Studies. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ. .
  • Padmanabh Jaini & Mark Tully (2009). Christianity and Jainism : An Interfaith Dialogue. Mumbai: .

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. His autobiography "Yogayoga: Memoirs of Professor Dr. Padmanabh S. Jaini" is translated by Amit Joharapurkar in Marathi.[9] His life and work was narrated in the biographical book ":Charitra Tyanche Paha Jara (चरित्र त्यांचे पहा जरा)" in Marathi.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Professor Padmanabh Srivarma Jaini passes away". University of California at Berkley. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  2. OCLC 422763446
    . p.103
  3. . pp. v–vi
  4. ^ Dundas, Paul (2000) p. vi
  5. ^ Wiley, Kristi (2006) p.103
  6. ^ Dundas, Paul (2000) pp. vi–vii
  7. ^ Dundas, Paul (2000) p.viii
  8. ^ "Ph.D. candidate Nancy Lin receives first Padmanabh S. Jaini Graduate Student Award in Buddhist Studies". Buddhist Studies at UC Berkeley. 2 April 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2009.
  9. .
  10. .