Jaina Community a Social Survey

SR No.: 007019
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vilas Sangve
Publisher: Popular Book Depot Bombay
Publication Year: 1980
Total Pages: 484
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 409

Retrospect
383
from a precipice, bowing at the tail of a cow and taking cow's urine, and the worship of jewels, conveyances, weapons, the earth and the mountains.148
From the facts mentioned above it is evident that there are several items of social and religious practices on which there are basic differences between the Jainas and the Hindus. It is pertinent to note that these differences are persisting even up to the present day. At the same time it will have to be admitted that there had been an infiltration of non-Jaina elements into Jaina social and religious usages. 149 It is not that the Jainas blindly accepted these non-Jaina elements. Perhaps the Jainas had to allow the infiltration of non-Jaina element as an adjustment to changed circumstances. Various reasons can be given as to why the Jainas knowingly permitted some of their members to follow obviously non-Jaina customs and manners. In the first place, new converts to Jainism could not be expected to discard their previous practices in toto and to observe all the Jaina practices at once. Some concession will have to be shown to them if the proselytising activities are to continue and the number of Jainas is to increase. In this way we find that the observance of some of the Hindu reli. gious practices referred to above was connived at by the Jainas even though it was repugnant to Jainism. In fact it was prescribed by Jaina Acharyas that "if a convert to Jainism cannot altogether renounce all his false beliefs, he ought to be given a mixed reception, but it is not advisable to discard him altogether. "150 Secondly, in times of calamity changes are sometimes effected in the religious practices to preserve religion and life and the Jainas had to follow the same course. In the past the Hindus committed many acts of oppression against the Jaina saints and householders. Under these circumstances the Jainas took the shelter of Brahmanical greed and began to employ the Brahmins for the performance of their 'social ceremonies, so as to preserve themselves in that way. The practice has continued and even today Brahmins are employed by some Jainas to assist in the performance of marriage and other ceremonies at various stages in certain parts of the country. In some Jaina temples Hindus are employed to peform daily Puja or worship. To soften and appease Brahmanical hatred interpolations embodying Brabmanical ritual appear to have been made in some of the Jaina books. Probably this was