Padmanabh Jaini: Difference between revisions

'''Padmanabh Shrivarma Jaini''' (October 23, 1923 - May 25, 2021) was an Indian born scholar of [[Jainism]] and [[Buddhism]],  living in [[Berkeley, California]], United States. He was from a [[Digambar]] Jain family; however he was 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 which he retired in 1994. Professor 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Professor Padmanabh Srivarma Jaini passes away |url=https://sseas.berkeley.edu/2021/05/31/professor-padmanabh-srivarma-jaini-passes-away/ |publisher=University of California at Berkley |access-date=24 August 2021}}</ref>

After graduation, he was invited to study with Pandit [[Sukhlal Sanghavi]], a renowned scholar belonging to the [[Sthanakvasi]] Jain tradition.<ref>Wiley, Kristi (2006) p.103</ref> 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 [[Pāli Canon]] and decided to continue his postgraduate studies in Sri Lanka, thus acquiring a thorough 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 Sri Lanka were the basis for his first publication in [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]], "Ceylonman Be Varsa" (Two years in [[Ceylon]]). It contains much information on the Theravada Buddhism philosophy and practices.<ref>Dundas, Paul (2000) pp. vi–vii</ref>

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.<ref>Dundas, Paul (2000) p.viii</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web | title =Ph.D. candidate Nancy Lin receives first Padmanabh S. Jaini Graduate Student Award in Buddhist Studies| url = http://buddhiststudies.berkeley.edu/announcements/jaini_award_2009.html|date = April 2, 2009 | publisher = Buddhist Studies at UC Berkeley| access-date =2009-12-18}}</ref>