Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs

SR No.: 011025
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 495
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 33 MB

Page 14

General Editors' Preface Historically speaking, the traces of the beginnings of Jainism in the South, roughly in the present-day areas of Telugu, Tamil and Kannada languages, take us back to a period of a few centuries before the Christian era. Today, in some of these areas, the followers of Jainism are an insignificant religious minority in contrast to the rich contributions which the Jaina monks and laymen have all along made to the cultural heritage of this part of our land. There are Jaina caves on secluded but inspiring spots; there are temples which are fine specimens of art, sculpture and architecture ; there are statues which have thrilled and inspired the society by their artistic grandeur and religious composure; there are numerous inscriptions unfolding the history of the land and glorifying the saints who instilled humanitarian values into the society and those great men who lived for the benefit of others; and above all, the Jainas enriched the languages of the people with literary compositions replete with great moral lessons for the erring humanity. The Jaina monk is known as Nirgrantha or Srumaņa in some of these parts: this lutter appellation shows that he was a prominent representative of Sramaņic culture, and these terms remind us of the early period of Jaina history.
Jaina monks had no fixed abode. Excepting during the rains, they constantly moved from place to place. Some of them moved so quickly and repeatedly that they came to be called Cāraņas, and miraculous flights were attributed to them. They possessed nothing, and their needs were highly limited. They preached universal principles like Ahimsa and Aparigraha, and stressed on the inviolable moral law that every one must reap the fruits of his or her thoughts, words and acts whether good or bad. They were themselves un embodiment of these virtues. By their precept and example they inspired in the society good neighbourliness, social security and moral and spiritual elevation, with the result that they could win among their followers men and women from all the struta of society, royalty, nobility, mercantile community and agriculturists. As they preferred to preach in the languages of the people their appeal was direct, and the main plank of their religious preaching was moral selfreliance.
The Juina heritage in the South is so rich, and the material for its study so plenty, that many scholars have been attracted to this subject during this century. Only a few notable publications can be mentioned here : Studies in South Indian Jainism by Ayyangar and Rao, Madras 1922; (originally Jainism in South India but published later as ) Juinism and Karnāšaku Culture by S. R. Sharma, Dharwur 1940; Mediaeval Jainism by B. A. Saletore, Bombay 1938. These works are specialised attempts and obviously required the authors to concentrate on one or the other aspect of the study. The results in every