Jain System in Nutshell

SR No.: 001644
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N L Jain
Publisher: Nij Gyan Sagar Shiksha Kosh Santa MP
Publication Year: 1993
Total Pages: 38
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Religion, & Sermon
File Size: 3 MB

Page 24

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twelve year famine in Magadh (current Bihar), recension of canons was done by those monks who remained there in the ministry of Sthulbhadra. This was not acceptable to those who went south during the famine period. The recension was centered over the point of nudity and laxity in conduct for mendicants. The issues like salvation of women, the bodily activities of ommiscients including divine sound and methods of alms begging and eating, marriage of Mahavir etc. were also included later. There were other dissents in some religious practices. As a result, two schisms originated by first century AD. Most scholars agree that the sky-clad or Digambaras aim towards more severely ascetic, conservative and faithful to doctrines while white clads seem to be more liberal, pragmatic and oriented towards glorification side, It is due to this the latter have played sometimes dominating roles in shaping the destiny of the land as a whole. However, both the schisms were idol-worshippers and they continued until about the middle of 15th century.
The muslim dominance and their orthodox iconoclastic tendency has been responsible to whip up the growth of the non- iconoclastic movement in both sects. Of course, this idea was brewing for centuries because of the feeling of irrelevancy of temples due to many of their ritualistic and demerited tendencies. There, thus, arose a subsect of Hall-dwellers (Sthanakvasis, Lonkashah, 1450) in white-clads and Taran-followers (Teranpanthis, Taranswami, 1560) in sky-clads. The Sthanakvasis have a further sect, now, called as Terapanthis started in 1760 who are holding good ground today. They do worship only scriptures. However, the number of noniconists is about a third of all the Jainas. Moreover, idol-wordhippers seem to be gaining ground because of direct psychological impact on the laity. The Digambara idolators have now two subsects Terapanthi (follower of thirteen or scriptures) and Bispanthis (follower of twenty.) One must, however, distinguish that Terapanthis in white-clads are non-idolators while it is the reverse in sky-clads.
The Jainas had a compromise sect of Yapaniya (200-A.D.) in south which is now extinct and possibly merged with sky-clad. However, there arose another spiritualist sect (Adhyavm-panth) through Banarasiidas (17th century) which has been whipped by Todarmal and Kanjiswami recently. It has become an influential sect now involving members of both the early Jain sects with about half a million in number. It is also called Shuddamnaya (pure traditionalist).
Jaina Scriptures
Jainas form the main stream minor community in India forming about 0.5 - 1% of her population. It is said that they could maintain, preserve and glorify themselves because of their scriptures, monks,