The History of Vegetarianism and Cow-Veneration in India

Published: 15.12.2009
Updated: 30.07.2015
About:
Series: Routledge Advances in Jaina Studies

 

For the first time, this influential study by Ludwig Alsdorf is made available to an English speaking audience, translated by Bal Patil. It focuses on two of the most pertinent issues in Indian religion. The history of vegetarianism and cow-veneration, and its historical approach remains relevant to this day.

 

With reference to significant brahminical texts, such as key chapters of the Book of Manu, the book centres on the author's analysis of the role of Jinism in the history of vegetarianism. The author explores the history of meat-eating in India and its relationship to religious thought and custom, and searches for solutions to the problem of cattle veneration. Besides a comprehensive translation of the original German manuscript "Beiträge zur Geschichte von Vegetarismus und Rinderverehrung in Indien", four important articles dlrectly related to Alsdorf’s work by Kapadia. Heesterman and Schmidt are made available in this new edition.

 

These additional contributions and careful notes by the editor Willem Bollée add a modern perspective to a study that remains a key reference for students and scholars of Religious Studies, Asian Studies and History.

 

Author:

Prof. Dr. Ludwig Alsdorf

Publisher: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, UK
Editor: Prof. Dr. Willem Bollée
Translator: Bal Patil
Revised by: Nichola Hayton
Edition: 16.02.2010
ISBN-10: 0415548241
ISBN-13: 978-0-415-54824-3
Pages: 184
Dimensions: 21,6 x 14 x 1,8 cm
Weight:  
£: 80,- (reduced: 64,- GBP)
€: 87,26 (Amazon)
   
Read online: Preview (Routledge)

Table of Contents

  • Introduction.
  • Abbreviations
  • Contributions to the History of Vegetarianism and Cow Veneration in India
  • Bibliography
  • Appendix I:
    Review of Alsdorf by Jan Heesterman.
  • Appendix II:
    Classical follow-up article by H.-P. Schmidt, ‘The Origin of Ahimsà.
  • Appendix III:
    do, Ahimsà and Rebirth.
  • Appendix IV:
    H.R. Kapadia’s Critical Review of Western Interpretations of Early Jaina Vegetarianism: ‘Prohibition of Flesh Eating in Jainism’

Bios

  • Ludwig Alsdorf (1904 - 1978) was one of the most influential Indologists of his generation. He had wide range of interests and worked on Prakrit, Apabrahmsa and Pali literature, in particular on Jaina universal history and prosody. His pioneering metrical analyses of ancient Indian literature prepared the ground for great advances in the dating of texts and the reconstruction of the history of Indian philosophy. One of his most influential studies is the present work.
  • Willem Bollée is Professor Emeritus at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Bal Patil is Secretary-General of the All India Jain Minority Forum, New Delhi, India.

References

References are pages on which this term or individual has been marked. Select the list of references sorted by 'latest' (found on a page), 'alphabetical' or 'most used' (most frequent occurrence on a page).

Share this page on:
Page glossary
Some texts contain  footnotes  and  glossary  entries. To distinguish between them, the links have different colors.
  1. Bal Patil
  2. Delhi
  3. Heidelberg
  4. JAINA
  5. Jain Minority
  6. Jaina
  7. Jainism
  8. Ludwig Alsdorf
  9. Manu
  10. New Delhi
  11. Pali
  12. Prakrit
  13. Vegetarianism
  14. Willem Bollée
Page statistics
This page has been viewed 3413 times.
© 1997-2024 HereNow4U, Version 4.56
Home
About
Contact us
Disclaimer
Social Networking

HN4U Deutsche Version
Today's Counter: