The Invention of Jainism: A Short History of Jaina Studies

Flügel, Peter

Abstract

The article provides a short summary of the institutional history of the new field of 'Jain Studies' in its historical and political context. It shows that the Sanskrit term 'Jaina' used as a self-designation (rather than as the designation of a doctrine or in the sense of 'pertaining to the Jina') is based on the vernacular precursor 'Jain' which became prevalent from the early modern period onwards - most likely as an internalised observer category. The words 'Jain' and 'Jainism' became widely used only in the context of 19th communal movements in colonian India. At the same time the Jain scriptures were published to back the identity claims of the Jaina law movement and modern 'Jainism' as a disembodied text-based set of idea-ologies or dogmas from which one can pick and chose was born.

Citation

Flügel, P. (2005). The Invention of Jainism: A Short History of Jaina Studies. International Journal of Jaina Studies, 11, 1-19

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2005
• Deposit Date: May 8, 2006
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 21, 2025
• Journal: International Journal of Jaina Studies
• Electronic ISSN: 1748-1074
• Publisher: Centre of Jaina Studies
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Pages: 1-19
• Keywords: Jain Studies, Jaina, Jains, Jainism, History of Religions
• Publisher URL: http://www.soas.ac.uk/ijjs
• Additional Information: Additional Information : With permission of the Society for Jaina Studies in Kyoto, the article has also been published in the International Journal of Jaina Studies Vol. 1 2005, http://www.soas.ac.uk/ijjs