Religion and Culture of the Jains

SR No.: 014007
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: D C Sirkar
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1973
Total Pages: 168
Language: English
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 10 MB

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RELIGION AND CULTURE OF THE JAINS
innocent victims", he asks, "bring salvation to the suffering soul?" His own attitude towards man and world is not far removed from the Vedantic approach. We are quoting below a few lines-66
jayate='tra naṭasy=eva saṁsāre svāmi-bhṛtyayoḥ pitṛ-putrakayor=mātṛ-bhāryayoś=ca viparyayaḥ|| ghatiyantra-ghaṭī-jāle jațile kuțile bhave
uttarādharyam=āyānti jantavaḥ satata-bhramāḥ||
It is apparent from the Harivamsa that a majority of the enthusiastic snpporters of the Jain religion belonged to the merchant class.67 We have an interesting reference to a game of gambling in which Vasudeva is represented as having won one crore of hiranyas.68 There is also a reference to the staging of a play called Mahānanda at Sauryapura."9
Sometimes, even devout Jains did not hesitate to patronise Hindu gods. There is the story of a Jain merchant called Kāmadatta who built a temple of Kamadeva (god of love) at Śrāvasti. There are some other references, to the worship of Hindu gods. As for example, in 24. 41-42, we are told of the Indra festival. There is a mention of the worship of the Nāga on the 8th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Mägha.70
In spite of the fact that Jinasena has indifference and contempt for the Hindu religion and specially for the Brāhmaṇas, he is not himself immune from the all-pervading influence of Hinduism. We have already referred to the story of Jain Kāmadatta. In the slokas by which Indra offers tribute to Ṛṣabhanatha, the first Tirthankara, we can discern a distinct Vaisnava influence.71 Even the term bhakti is used there.
66
43.126-27.
67 Cf. the cases of Sumitradatta (27.44), Kāmadatta (29.1ff.), etc.
68
26.30.
See Ch. 39.
69
70
12.61ff.
71 See Ch. 8.