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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
OUTSTANDING
CONTRIBUTION OF JAINISM
TO KARNATAKA CULTURE
Jain Education International
Jainism is an ancient religion. It is rightly called Ethical Realism. Deeply moved by and giving, for long, austere and meditative thought to the chaotic and miserable political. social and economic conditions prevailing in the north-eastern region of India in 600 B.C., Lord Mahavira rightly preached this ethical code with its five-fold great vows, which he had inherited in its four-fold system (cāujjama) from his predecessor Lord Parsvanatha, as an effective antidote to those aweful conditions and also for the common good of all the mankind. It was received very well round about the area. Soon Lord Mahavira had a unique band of close disciples and well organised four-fold sangha. Later on his disciples and, then, the pontiffs and numerous other teachers carried on the torch of his valuable preachings and teachings, which can be said to have culminated into ahimsa, anekantavāda and kriyavada, to the various parts of the country.
Events of history no doubt indicate us that the first team of Jaina teachers may have entered South India, viz., the Telugu country first, through Kalinga as early as 600 B.C. and thus, were pioneers in bringing the teachings of Lord Mahavira to the South. But it is the second team, certainly a larger one, headed by
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