Jainism the Oldest Living Religion

SR No.: 001195
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jyoti Prasad Jain, Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi
Publication Year: 1988
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, Religion, E000, & E999
File Size: 3 MB

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The Oldest Living Religion
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out of religious bigotry",1 F. E. Pargitor also asserts that, "The Jainas were treated as Asuras and Daityas (terms of hatred etc.) by the Hindus". "Rhode", says Edkins "also supposes the Jainas to be descendents of Asuras and Rākṣasas". And C. F. Oldham is of opinion that "Both Buddhists and Jainas systems were closely connected with the sun and the serpent, and they found their chief supporters amongst the Solar Tribes who had come but little under Brahmanical influence. The Purana version is that the Jainas originated amongst the Asuras. The Jainas were in existence before Buddha. All the twenty-four Tirthankaras were kṣatriyas and all but two were of the solar race of Ikṣvaku",4
Now there is no question as to Rama's being of the Solar race of Ikṣvāku. According to the Jaina tradition, he along with most of the members of his family was a follower of Jainism. Not only that but Rāma Candra, his brother Lakṣmana and their enemy Ravana were three of the 63 prominent personages (Tri-sasti Salakāpurusas) of the Jaina tradition wherein the Rākṣasas and Vanaras of the Rāmāyaṇa have been described not as semi-human, sub-human animal or demons but as highly civilized and cultured human beings of the Vidyadhara race, who were mostly devotees of the Jina. These early non-Aryan inhabitants of India are now generally termed as Dravidians. According to Pargitor, even "The Suryavamsis or Solar race were the indigenous inhabitants of this country and were of Dravidian stock". And as will be presently shown, the religion of these early Dravidians was Jainism.
1 Heroes of Jaina Legends-J.A. XIV, 1, p. 9.
2 Ancient Indian Historical Tradition, London 1922, p. 291. 3 Joseph Edkins-Chinese Buddhism, London 1880, p. 156-158
4 The Sun and the Serpent, London 1905, p. 172-181.
5 J.S.B.-XIV, 1, p. 17-23.
6 Ancient Indian Historical Tradition, p. 295-296.
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