21ST MONTHLY LECTURE BY PROF. PIOTR BALCEROWICZ ON THE BEGINNINGS OF JAINISM AND ITS RELATION TO THE AJIVIKAS
The 21st lecture in the online lecture series by ISJS is to be delivered by
Prof. Piotr Balcerowicz on the Beginnings of Jainism and its
relation to the Ajivikas on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 8 PM (IST).
Prof. Piotr Balcerowicz specializes in the history, culture, and
philosophical traditions of Asia and the West, with an emphasis on South
Asia. He teaches Sanskrit, Prakrits, Pali, Indian philosophy and Indian
religions, and various related subjects. Currently a professor at the
University of Warsaw, he has been associated with different universities
around the world.
The session focuses on understanding the early history of Jainism, which,
though often derived from traditional Jain sources, gains deeper clarity
when examined alongside Ajivikism—a once-prominent but now
forgotten religious system of ancient South Asia (4th to 1st centuries BCE).
It highlights how early Jain asceticism, scriptures, rituals, philosophy, and
logic were influenced by the Ajivikas. It also explores the historical
connections between Mahavira and Goshala Mankhaliputra referenced
in Jain and Buddhist texts.
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