Reviews Of Different Books - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided text, focusing on the Jain-related content and general observations about the reviewed books:

The provided text is a collection of book reviews published by J. W. De Jong. While most of the reviews cover a wide range of Indological topics, the primary focus of this summary will be on any mention of Jainism and the overall scholarly quality of the reviewed works.

Review 1: Ludwig Alsdorf, Kleine Schriften

Jainism Connection: This review highlights Ludwig Alsdorf's significant contributions to the study of Jainism, specifically his work on Jain narrative literature.
Key Contribution: Alsdorf is credited with being the first to point out the importance of the Vasudevahindi, considering it the oldest non-canonical Jain prose work. He extensively examined passages of this text, recognizing it as the oldest Jain version of the Brhatkatha.
Scholarly Impact: Alsdorf's deep knowledge of Middle-Indian languages (Prākrit, Pāli, Apabhramsa) and his skill in correcting metrical irregularities are praised for solving many textual problems in Jain literature that had eluded previous scholars.
Overall: The review expresses gratitude to the editors and publishers for compiling a substantial portion of Alsdorf's scholarly output, acknowledging him as a leading Indologist.

Review 2: Raniero Gnoli (tr.), Luce delle Sacre Scritture (Tantrāloka) di Abhinavagupta

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review focuses on Kashmir Shaivism.

Review 3: Ludwik Sternbach, Mahā-subhasita-sangraha. Volume I

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review discusses a collection of Sanskrit subhāṣitas (wise sayings) and critically evaluates the compilation and translations.

Review 4: Volker Moeller, Symbolik des Hinduismus und des Jainismus. Tafelband

Jainism Connection: This review directly addresses the symbolism of Jainism.
Key Contribution: Moeller's work is presented as a reliable guide to the symbolism of both Hinduism and Jainism.
Specific Jain Content: The review highlights a map of the holy places of the Jains within the illustrated volume, accompanied by a detailed explanation and bibliography.
Scholarly Assessment: Moeller's work is commended for its lack of personal bias and for being more comprehensive in its bibliography compared to a previous work in the same series.

Review 5: Esther A. Solomon (ed.), Samkhya-Saptati-Vrtti (V) and Samkhya-Vrtti (V)

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review deals with commentaries on the Sāmkhyakārikā, a foundational text in Samkhya philosophy, not Jainism.

Review 6: Jean Filliozat, Laghu-prabandhāḥ. Choix d'articles d'Indologie

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review discusses the collected works of a prominent Indologist with broad interests.

Review 7: R. O. Meisezahl, Smaśānavidhi des Lūyi...

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review focuses on Buddhist tantric literature and iconography related to eight cemeteries.

Review 8: Karunesha Shukla (ed.), Śrāvakabhūmi of Ācārya Āsaṅga

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review discusses a text attributed to Āsaṅga, a key figure in the Yogācāra school of Mahayana Buddhism. The review is highly critical of Shukla's editorial work.

Review 9: Robert Shafer, Introduction to Sino-Tibetan, Part 3, 4, 5

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review discusses Shafer's work on Sino-Tibetan linguistics.

Review 10: Takasaki Jikido, Nyoraizo shiso no keisei (The formation of the tathāgatagarbha theory)

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review deals with Buddhist philosophy, specifically the tathāgatagarbha (Buddha-nature) theory.

Review 11: Helmut Hoffmann, Symbolik der tibetischen Religionen und des Schamanismus

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review covers Tibetan religions and Shamanism.

Review 12: Heinz Zimmermann, Die Subhasita-ratna-karanda ka-kathā (dem Āryaśūra zugeschrieben) und ihre tibetische Übersetzung

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review focuses on a Buddhist text attributed to Āryaśūra and its Tibetan translation, critically assessing the editorial process.

Review 13: Mikkyo jiten. Sawa Ryuken hen.

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review is of a comprehensive dictionary of Tantrism.

Review 14: Ria Kloppenborg, The Paccekabuddha. A Buddhist Ascetic.

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review discusses the concept of the paccekabuddha (private Buddha) in Buddhist literature. The reviewer strongly criticizes Kloppenborg's methodology and translations.

Review 15: Ria Kloppenborg (tr.), The Sūtra on the Foundation of the Buddhist Order (Catusparişatsūtra)

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review discusses a Buddhist text and critically evaluates Kloppenborg's translation.

Review 16: A. Kamatchinathan, The Tirunelveli Tamil Dialect.

Jainism Connection: None explicitly mentioned. This review is of a linguistic study of a Tamil dialect.

Overall Observations on the Reviews:

Scholarly Rigor: J. W. De Jong, the author of these reviews, demonstrates a highly critical and meticulous approach to scholarship. He consistently evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the reviewed works, often pointing out methodological flaws, errors in translation, and omissions.
Emphasis on Textual Accuracy and Methodology: A recurring theme is the importance of accurate textual criticism, careful comparison with original sources (including translations into other languages like Tibetan and Chinese), and sound linguistic methodology.
Contribution to Indology: The reviews cover a broad spectrum of Indological studies, including philology, history, religion, and linguistics, highlighting the ongoing scholarly work in these fields.
Critique of Less Rigorous Work: De Jong is not hesitant to point out when authors have failed to meet high scholarly standards, as seen in the reviews of Shukla's edition of Śrāvakabhūmi and Kloppenborg's work on Paccekabuddha.
Appreciation for Key Contributions: Conversely, he readily praises works that demonstrate deep scholarship, original research, and significant contributions to their respective fields, such as Alsdorf's work on Jain narrative literature and Moeller's on Jain symbolism.

In summary, while only two reviews directly touch upon Jainism (Alsdorf's Kleine Schriften and Moeller's Symbolik des Hinduismus und des Jainismus), both are highly positive and acknowledge significant contributions to the field. De Jong's reviews generally reflect a high standard for scholarly research, emphasizing textual accuracy, critical analysis, and robust methodology.