Jainism in Five Minutes
Edited by
Steven M. Vose [+–]
University of Colorado, Denver
Steven M. Vose is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Colorado, Denver, where he holds the Bhagwan Suparshvanatha Endowed Professorship in Jain Studies. His research examines Jain interactions with other religious communities and polities from the late medieval to the present. His first book, Reimagining Jainism in Islamic India: Jain Intellectual Culture in the Delhi Sultanate (forthcoming, Routledge), won the Edward C. Dimock, Jr. Book Prize in the Indian Humanities from the American Institute of Indian Studies.
Jainism in Five Minutes answers some of the most asked questions about this ancient yet little-known religious tradition, regarded for its strict adherence to nonviolence (ahimsa). Delivering answers from both scholars and practitioners, this book offers an accessible introduction to Jain thought and practice while also giving Jain perspectives on some of the most pressing issues of our time.
The questions include:
– What is the ultimate goal of Jainism?
– Who do Jains worship?
– How do Jains think about karma?
– Why do Jain monks and nuns cover their mouths and carry brooms with them?
– What does Jainism teach about gender and sexuality?
– Do Jains meditate or do yoga?
– Why do some Jain monks go naked?
– Why is fasting so important to Jains?
– Do Jains support animal rights?
– Are Jains vegan?
– Do Jains ever support violence?
– Did Jainism really influence Mahatma Gandhi?
Series: Religion in 5 Minutes
