PhD in Religion, Engaged Jain Studies, with Track Elective in Jain Yoga

Established 2026

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Center for the Study of Jain Yoga

Program Instances

Hybrid

Dates: TBD

500 hours • TBD

Led by

Christopher Jain Miller, PhD

CYT-L3

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Purpose

Primary Area Faculty

The faculty accepting advisees in the EJS track are:

Cogen Bohanec
Jonathan Dickstein
Venu Mehta
Christopher Miller

Drs. Bohanec and Dickstein are CST Affiliate Faculty with primary appointments at Arihanta Institute, Dr. Miller has dual faculty appointments at CST and Arihanta Institute, and Dr. Mehta is CST faculty. Students are required to take 26 credits taught by faculty from CST and 24 credits with faculty from Arihanta Institute.

What to expect

For the track elective taught by Arihanta faculty students may choose:

Jain Yoga
Jain Philosophy
Jain Veganism in the History of Global Veganism

For the track elective taught by CST faculty students may choose:

Gender, Women, and Jain Spiritual Practices
Studies in Jain Literature and Philosophy
Theories and Praxis of Non-violence and Jainism

Students work with their advisor to choose interdisciplinary courses relevant to the student’s interests, professional goals, and dissertation.

Languages

Students must demonstrate competency in two relevant South Asian research/primary text languages (usually Sanskrit, Hindi, or Gujarati) and one additional modern research language or research method chosen in consultation with the advisor. Language competency must be demonstrated by translation exam unless otherwise approved by the advisor.

The student chooses their languages in consultation with their advisor and should consider which languages are most pertinent to their research interests. English may be considered as the third research language if English is not the native language of the student (see Research Language and Methods Requirements for more information).

Style/Lineage

ENGAGED JAIN STUDIES

The Engaged Jain Studies (EJS) track, developed and taught in partnership with Arihanta Institute, provides doctoral-level training and competence in the study of the Jain tradition in South Asia and its diaspora, using engaged methodologies and analytical frameworks. The program trains students in the historical, anthropological, linguistic, and philosophical dimensions of the Jain tradition, focusing on how Jains, Jain ideas, and Jain scriptural traditions engage with their social worlds in the past and present. Combining scriptural study with ethnographic engagement, the EJS track also focuses on developing a critical understanding of the social lives of Jain scriptures as they are constructively instrumentalized to address pressing social concerns and issues of contemporary relevance. Following the Jain tradition’s emphasis on nonviolence and compassion toward all forms of life, the track presupposes a non-anthropocentric worldview and total liberation horizon, and therefore also includes immersion in vegan studies, food studies, critical animal studies, environmental studies, yoga studies, and other allied fields of academic inquiry.

Additional Information

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Yoga History & Theory	Differentiate the Ācārāṅgasūtra’s account of Mahāvīra’s meditation from later Jain interpretations by identifying differences in context, purpose, and understanding of meditation and ahiṃsā, using textual evidence to support the comparison. Differentiate the Tattvārthasūtra’s definition of yoga as activity of body, speech, and mind from its teachings on karmic influx and restraint, accurately explaining the relationship between these concepts Evaluate Haribhadra Virahāṅka’s ranking of meditation, cultivation, and equanimity in comparison to external yoga practices by examining his reasoning and supporting the evaluation with relevant textual evidence. Differentiate Haribhadra’s eight viewpoints by identifying the defining characteristics for each stage and explaining how they represent progressive development. Evaluate Kundakunda’s argument that the self does not create the material changes that obstruct knowledge by examining his reasoning and comparing it with competing accounts of the self in South Asian philosophical traditions. Differentiate Śubhacandra’s claim that meditation is the seed of correct knowledge from his claim that correct knowledge destroys karma, explaining the distinct roles assigned to meditation and knowledge. Evaluate Hemacandra’s claim that mastery over the senses depends on ethical observances rather than bodily discipline alone by examining the relationship between ethics, discipline, and self-mastery. Construct an original, source-grounded argument that situates Yaśovijaya’s definition of yoga as conduct connected with liberation within the broader historical development of Jain yoga. Evaluate whether Prekṣā Dhyāna represents continuity with premodern Jain meditation or a modern development shaped by external influences, using historical evidence and relevant primary and secondary sources to support the conclusion.
Practice Skills	Practice standing and seated āsanas with appropriate alignment, stability, and attentional awareness, and describe how each posture supports steadiness and readiness for meditation. Perform box breathing and alternate nostril breathing with appropriate technique, pacing, and awareness, and describe the observed or felt effects of each practice. Practice mantra repetition and concentration on the elements with sustained attention, and describe how each practice influences steadiness, focus, and deepening of attention. Differentiate personal embodied experiences arising from semester-long practice from descriptions of practice found in assigned Jain yoga texts, using specific examples from both lived experience and textual sources.
Teaching Skills	Differentiate literal translation from interpretive exegesis by accurately translating a Sanskrit or Prakrit verse and identifying where interpretation extends beyond the literal meaning of the text. Apply consistent citation conventions when summarizing, paraphrasing, and engaging assigned Jain yoga readings, accurately attributing ideas and distinguishing source material from original analysis. Evaluate discussion questions for their accuracy, relevance, clarity, and ability to identify central features of the assigned Jain text, providing specific justification for the evaluation. Construct and present an original research paper and oral presentation that clearly articulates a research question, apply an appropriate methodology, engage relevant literature, present evidence and findings, and draw supported conclusions.
Lifestyle & Ethics	Evaluate how ahiṃsā functions as a guiding principle in Mahāvīra’s meditation and later Jain yoga systems by comparing its role across relevant texts and practices. Apply a personally selected vow consistently throughout the semester and reflect on how maintaining the commitment relates to Jain ethical principles, challenges, and practices. Construct an original, source-informed account of how Jain yoga principles and practices can be meaningfully embodied in personal, social, or professional contexts while remaining consistent with their underlying ethical and philosophical principles.

AYC allows each school to state and evaluate the competencies each student acquires. Students rate how well the program delivered them.

Program Emphasis

Evaluation methods

Program evaluations

Written Exam
Written Submission

Qualifying Exams

Each written exam is proctored and is limited to four hours’ time. Students may not consult notes, books, or online resources during the written examinations.

The reading list and questions for each exam will be worked out in dialogue between the student and examining professor for that exam. It is the student’s responsibility to work out an agreement on the reading list (normally the equivalent of 12–20 books) in sufficient time to prepare for the exam. Although all the exams will be distributed to all the committee members, the examining professor has the primary responsibility for composing and grading each exam.

All EJS students take 4 exams:

Engaged methods and analytical frameworks
The field of Jain studies
A chosen field of academic inquiry close to the student’s own research interests (e.g. vegan studies, yoga studies, food studies)
Another chosen field of academic inquiry close to the student’s own research interests (e.g. vegan studies, yoga studies, food studies)

Dissertation Proposal

During the months leading up to qualifying exams, the student works with their dissertation committee members to develop a full proposal. The final draft of the dissertation proposal must be submitted to the entire committee at the same time as the qualifying exams. The proposal should follow the guidelines listed in the PhD Common Requirements section and be about 20 pages long.

AYC Evaluations

AYC also requires the following experience for Level 3 Yoga Teacher badges:

10+ years teaching experience
sessions taught per year

More about AYC levels

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Program Faculty

Featured Faculty

Christopher Jain Miller, PhD

Professor, Author, and Practitioner-Scholar specializing in the Yoga Sūtra, Jain Yoga, & Modern Yoga Studies

arihantainstitute.org

San Jose, CA, US

Cogen Bohanec, MA, PhD

Professor and scholar of Hindu and Jain yoga traditions, specializing in Sanskrit and other South Asian languages, yoga philosophy, meditation, ethics, and classical South Asian texts. My teaching integrates traditional textual study with contemporary academic scholarship.

Eugene, OR, US