Ústav Asijských studií FF UK srdečně zve na dvě mimořádné přednášky Heleen De Jonckheere

1. Jainism: an Indian tradition of the past and the present (5.3)
2. Jaina thought: a religious philosophy from India (12.3)

The lectures introduce students to Jaina philosophy within its socio-historical and socio-religious contexts. In view of the soteriological goal of breaking the cycle of transmigration, Jaina thinkers established a distinct philosophical system that was characterized by ontological dualism, epistemological perspectivism and ethics of non-violence. The lectures will detail these aspects of Jaina philosophy and frame them within the Jaina ‚mythological‘ understanding of the universe and of time. Special attention will be given to the strategies by which Jaina thinkers both related to and distanced themselves from other Indian traditions. The aim of both lectures is to demonstrate that Jaina thought made important contributions to the fields of ethics, ontology and epistemology, but nevertheless, as a religio-philosophical system, was strongly informed by a focus on humanity and ethical concerns.

Heleen De Jonckheere has a background in Indology (Bachelor and Master) and is currently finishing a PhD degree at Ghent University on a Jaina textual tradition by the title of Dharmaparīkṣā. Her research interests include Jaina religion, puranic-epic literature, and translation studies, next to histories of Indian traditions in general.