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Synopsis This book examines the basic principles of Jain religion and philosophy and evaluates their relevance in the contemporary world. This volume traces the antiquity of Jainism from literary and archaeological sources. It discusses the principles of Jaina ethics and highlights the role of samyak-darshan (enlightened view) in life, anekant (jain relativism, which systhesizes dicergent views) in thought, syadvad ( faultless method of expression) in speech, ahimsa (non-violence) in conduct and aparigraha (limitation of wants and possessions) in society. The study examines the nature of the soul (consciousness), the characteristics of embodied self, the doctrine of Karma and explains how the spiritual soul interacts with the physical body. The author argues that the Jaina concept of Absolute (the state of undifferentiated state of the self),is more realistic than the two extremes of Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism. This authentic and systematic compendium of the essence of Jainism will be useful to scholars and students of Indian philosophy.