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Role of Women in Jaina Religion
DR. KUMARPAL DESAI
Among the living Religions, Jaina Religion has contributed some orginal ideologies to the world. Its most significant aspect is that it has always respected the smallest of the insects among living organisms and this attitude extends even to the inanimate world, to even a blade of grass. As a legitimate consequence, equality amongst men and fraternity with the animals, the insects and nature in all its manifestations has become the essential feature of Jaina ideology. It is but natural for such a religion to cultivate an attitude of respect towards women. The period when Jaina religion emerged as a major religion also witnessed casteism and classhatred ruling supreme. A few of the classes or castes styled themselves as superior to others and the inferior classes were required to serve them as bonded labourers. Jaina religion opposed this inhuman class distinction and glorified the soul that dwelt within each human being. Obviously, therefore, it emphasised equality between men and women. Jaina religion regarded the women as an equal partners of men in strong contrast to the common concept of women as an inferior being, having just the status of a maid-servant. In the Jaina fold in every religious and social functions, a woman enjoys as many rights as a man does; it would be therefore be sheer ignorance to treat woman as inferior. Jaina religion has preached that where a man goes, woman can go; what a man does, woman can also do. Achievements of man and woman should be considered on equal level. Matters of religious achievements and self development are related to the soul rather than to the body. All the differences of sex are merely on the physical level only. Thus a woman is equally free to perform the religious worship as a man. Both are equally entitled for liberation by freeing themselves from the bondage of Karma caused by desires and passions. Jaina religion believes that there is no difference or distinction so for as the souls of a man and woman are concerned, on the spiritual level. Thus, it
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