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 183

JAINISM IN NORTII INDIA have been influencce lo no small extent by its having been the faith of his grandfather Candrugupin, though the Mahar amsa tells us that, like his father, Alolen ako bostonci alms on thc Brnhmans for thrcc yenis? Ilis cdicts are wry blond based, and indicate cqual tolciance of all scots. Yct llic genesis of this psychology might have been as suggested. The fact of Aloka's lasing licen influenced in his carly years by the faith of his grandfather Candragupta gathers strength on the testimony of Edward Thomas that in his Ain-1-Akbari Abu-1 l'azl, thic accomplished minister of Akhar, has retained in his notice of the kingdom of Kashmir throc very important entrics, of which the first cstablishics "thnt Asokn himself first introduccdl 'Jainism, co nominc, into the kingdom of Knshmir.". Emphasising the samc point the learncal scholar further observes thint "the leading fact of Asoka's introduction or recognition of the Jaina crced in Kashmir docs not, houdtcr, rost upon the solc testimony of the Muhammadan author, but a freelt ncknowledged in the Brahmanical pages of the Raja Tarangini-. work which, though finally compiled and put together only in 1148 A.D., relics, in this section of its history, upon the morc archaic writings of Padma Mihira and Sri Chavillakara." With all this the lcnrncd scholar x conscious that Asoka was not a Jaina throughout his carccr, otherwise, as he obscrves, he would have reasonably been claimed by thc Jninas as n potent upholder of their faith. According to Edward Thomas by nnd by he became a pervert and ultimately lcaned towards Buddhism. However, this idca of Asoka's actual perversion to the Buddhist faith is not cusily acceptable. What wc venture to suggest is this, that as years went on Asoka came more and more under the influence of the teaching of Buddha, became less and less of a sectarian, and tried to inculcate in his subjects the Dharma which cmbraced the moral precepts and dogmatic tenets common to other religions, though, as Rev. Heras ughtly obscrves, he was "cspccially influenced by the Jaina doctrines as regards sacredness and inviolability of lite. 1. $0 pr lc cua tinz vassunr Whojaye --Geiger, op and local C Thomas (Edward), op al pp 30-31 "When the successton desolved on Ah! the son of Jandha's patemal uncle, hc abolislicd the Brulmonical religion and establish the Jains faith "-Jarrett, Arn-1-Ahbarl, , 382; Wilson, AR, W,P 10 - Thomas (Edward), op cit,p 32 Cf Walford, AR,28, pp 00-07 * Thomas (Edward), op cit, p 21 * CE and * Herng, op al, P 272 Cf Rock Edicts (I, B), (III, D), (IV, C), (XT, C), etc, Hultzsch, CII,1,DP 2, 5, 8, 19, ctc (new cd ) 140