This dissertation examines the role one aspect of the Jaina tradition plays in a
globalized world in the 21st century vis-a-vis an economically viable, socially just, and
ecologically sustainable society. I address this by means of an in-depth study of dana
(giving, gifting, charity) and dhyana (meditation) conducting a case study of
preksadhyana, a form of meditation developed by the Terapanth, a Svetambara Jaina
sect, in 1975 and their stance on dana. These practices, the Terapanth claim, are
transformative on an individual and societal level. I argue that while preksadhyana’s
spiritually transformative influence remains narrowly circumscribed to the individual
level, nevertheless it allows the Terapanth to participate in the booming economy of the
transnational yoga market. Yet, as my analyses of their historically controversial position
on dana vis-a-vis the Jaina position on dana and the recent change in this position within
the Terapanth reveal, their ability to transform the world is limited to their own
community. I explore, through participation/observation, how preksadhyana as a
performative ritual brings an individual closer to spiritual liberation, and attempt to
demonstrate how the Terapanth construct this practice as a form of modern yoga by using
authoritative discourses of science and scripture. I conclude by offering some final
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thoughts on how successful the Terapanth are in their dissemination of preksadhyana to a
global audience and what role the authoritative discourses of science and scripture play in
the evaluation and/or erosion of Jaina theology.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/43620 |
| Date | 10 January 2014 |
| Creators | Kothari, Smita |
| Contributors | Emmrich, Christoph, Scharper, Stephen |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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