Jainism in North India

SR No.: 011067
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London
Publication Year: 1932
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 3 MB

Page 113

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA assigned for these caves The Satrunjaya Mahatmaya, or the legend of the Jaina temples of Palitana, in Kathiawar, fixes also this period of the origin of the Digambara Jainas." 1 In short, the history of this great schism may be summarised as follows in the words of Sir Charles Elliot : "It is therefore probable that both Digambaras and Svetambaras existed in the infancy of Jainism, and the latter may represent the older sect reformed or exaggerated by Mahavira. Thus we are told that the law taught by Vardbamana forbids clothes but that of the great sage Parsva allows an under and upper garment.' But it was not until considerably later that the schism was completed by the constitution of the two different canons." ? In spite of such a complicated history behind this division in the Jaina community it must be conceded that there is little of real difference between the two parties. In matters of certain traditional beliefs and dogmas there is no doubt a great distance between the two, but most of the controversial points are unnecessary and indirect. This was more or less the feeling of Raichandji, the most righteous and highly respected Jazne of our days. Intellectually too he was a great scholar, and his are the sentiments which are also shared by others "The Digambaras," says Dr Dasgupta, " having separated m early times from the Svetambaras developed peculiar religious ceremonies of their own, and have a different ecclesiastical and literary history, though there is practically no difference about the main creed "4 Thus the Jama sub-sects did not differ much among themselves in philosophical speculation. Their differences were rather of a practical kind, and, as Wilson has rightly pointed out, their "mutual animosity is, as usual, of an intensity very disproportionate to the sources from whence it springs" 5 Leaving aside the second great division in the Jama community we come to the third and the last VIZ. that of the nonidolatrous sect of the Svetambara Jaunas very often known as the Dhundhia or Sthanakavasi sect of the Jainas This division camc very late in the history of the Jaina church, and to some extent it can safely be said that it was greatly a direct result of Mohammedan influence on the religious mind of India "If one 1 Bird, 1/18/orical Researches, p 72 2 Eliot, op at, p. 112 o ficarullat e fa BEAT WALL G IFTRA 41: 1-Raichandji, BhagavalkSafra (Jinsignma Prasasabla), Int ,po Dasgupta, op cit,1, p 170 Wilson, op cit,), P 340 74