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

Page 34

The Oldest Living Religion
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Of the remaining Tirthankaras, Rsabha, the first, Ajitanā. tha, the second and Supārsva, the seventh also seem to find mentions in the Vedas. 1
Then there is the curious story of King Veņu who wasoriginally a Hindu following the Vedas, but who became a Jaina monk at the instruction of a Jaina Muni, and therefore is called a sinner and his change of faith regarded as a degradation. Shri S. C. Ghoshal, M.A., B.L., Purāna-Kavya Tirtha etc. says, “This is only natural as the work (i.e. Hindu Padma Purāņa) in which the story is related indicates the teachings which are not favourable to Jainism, but from this story we can infer that it might be a historical fact that Veņu, a Hindu king became a convert to Jainism. As far as I know, this fact has not been noticed by scholars who try to establish the antiquity of Jainism”. 2
Now this story occurs in almost all the Brāhmanic. Puranas, and this king Veņu is stated in the Padma and Vāmana Purānas to have been the sixth in descent from Brahmā, the progenitor of mankind, while in the Bhāgavata the 11th, in the Garuda Purāna 13th, and in the Vișnu and rest of the other Purānas, 9th in descent from Svayambhu Manu, the first man and the son of Brahmā, the Creator.3. Venu is also said to have preached Jainism to the Asuras. Mr. Ghoshal says, “It is clear from all the Purāṇas that Veņu was from the beginning opposed to animal sacrifice and to the Brāhmins and that he became not only a heretic and antiVedic, but even a Jaina" 4 There are several other stories in the different Purānas about the origin of Jainism. But what is interesting about them is the fact that they invariably make some important personage belonging to their faith, first a convert to Jainism, under the influence of some or other of its
1 Radhakrishnan-- Indian Philosophy, Vol. I. p. 287. 2 Jainism in Non-Jain Literature-J. G. Feb. 1918, p. 87. 3 ‘Story of Benu: J.G. July 1918, p. 156. 4 Ibid. 5 According to another story occurring in the Padma--