Buddhism and Jainism share the concepts of karma, rebirth, and the desirability of escaping from rebirth. The literature of both traditions contains many stories about past, and sometimes future, lives which reveal much about these foundational doctrines. Naomi Appleton carefully explores how multi-life stories served to construct, communicate, and challenge ideas about karma and rebirth within early South Asia, examining portrayals of the different realms of rebirth, the potential paths and goals of human beings, and the biographies of ideal religious figures. Appleton also deftly surveys the ability of karma to bind individuals together over multiple lives, and the nature of the supernormal memory that makes multi-life stories available in the first place. This original study not only sheds light on the individual preoccupations of Buddhist and Jain tradition, but contributes to a more complete history of religious thought in South Asia, and brings to the foreground long-neglected narrative sources. An overview of karma and rebirth in two South Asian religious traditions, presenting a broad view of a key doctrine across traditional religious boundaries Prioritises narrative sources in our understanding of South Asian religious history, and includes many interesting stories
Will appeal not only to scholars of Buddhism and Jainism, but also those interested in the broader history of religions in South Asia
Narrating Karma and Rebirth: Buddhist and Jain Multi-Life Stories, Naomi Appleton, Cambridge University Press, Paperback, 2015, 229 Pages, $36.99
Stephen Batchelor is known worldwide for his work as author, teacher, and scholar of Buddhism. He has been a teacher at the Gaia House meditation center in Devon, England, for twenty-five years and is a contributing editor of Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. His previous books include Buddhism without Beliefs and Confession of a Buddhist Atheist. He lives in southwest France.
Preface 1. Introduction 2. Karma and the realms of rebirth 3. Karma and human potentiality 4. Jinas and Buddhas 5. Karma and community 6. Memory and omniscience 7. Conclusion Appendix: texts referred to in this book.
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