Indian Antiquary Vol 61

SR No.: 032553
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 428
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
JULY, 1932
because he was a naked Sramana or mendicant."5 This proves that nudity was not practised by all Jain monks even in the days of Mahavira.
Scholars are agreed that the institution of nudity was first emphasised by Mahavira within the Jain church, but “this distinction did not lead to serious schism in the Jaina community till six hundred years later." We are told, besides, that "a prince whose father he (Udayin the king of Magadha) had dethroned plotted against his (Udayin's) life ; and aware of the welcome accorded to the Jains by Udayin, he entered his palace in the disguise of a Jain monk, and murdered him in the night."? It goes without saying that the person of a nude monk affords neither any scope for disguise, nor any protection against detection. As this happened sixty years after the nirvana of Mahavira, the custom of wearing clothes by Jain monks does not seem to have disappeared at that time.
The main point we are to consider is this, whether nudity was a compulsory rule of conduct among the Jain monks generally, or whether it was practised by the Jinakalpi Sådhus only and by Mahavira during the latter stages of his asceticism. Now, from the available data at our disposal we are unmistakably led to the latter conclusion. From the Hathigumphå inscriptions of the second century B.C. we find King Khåravela of Orissa giving away clothes to Jain monks. Mathura sculptures of the first century also present scenes where monks are seen holding clothes. These are historical facts of first class importance, and we need not seriously consider the curious views Mr. Jain has about the Mathura antiquities. The contention that the inscriptions of the Svetâmbara Ganas, etc.," have been "inscribed on the Digambara or naked images" may be merely the orthodox Digambara standpoint, but has no basis in fact. They do not show "a topsy-turvy condition of the Jaina Sangha at the time." On the contrary, "the inscriptions are replete with information as to the organisation of the Jain church in sections known as Gaņa, Kula, and Sakha, and supply excellent illustrations of the Jain books."10 Mr. Jain also states that "The Mathura antiquities are only about a century older than the date on which the Jaina Sangha separated into two sects, and they might show signs of the Svetambara origin at the time." It is therefore conclusive from Mr. Jain's own statement that the Svetambara beliefs and traditions existed in the Jain church long before the formal separation.
Mr. Jain further cites the munayo vatavasanas mentionod in the Rig-veda (X, 136. 2) and refers to Weber's identification of the Indian gymnosophists of the time of Alexander the Great with Digambara Jains. I must point out that the texts11 give the reading vậtarasana and not vậtavasana as misquoted by Mr. Jain, the word being translated "wind-girt " and not "wind-clad." According to Macdonell and Keith, the term is applied to Munis in the Rig-veda (X, 136. 2) and to Rishis in the Taittiriya-Aranyaka (I, 23. 2 ; 24. 4; II, 7. 1), both late texts.12 Mr. Jain does not, however, tell us if he can trace the origin of the Digambara sect from Vedic Munis and Rishis. Weber was not right in taking these to be Digambaras, as there are naked Sivaite Sådhus even to this day, according to his own statement. Similarly erroneous is his identification of the naked ascetics interviewed by Onesicritus at Taxila, one of whom eventually took to clothes and accompanied Alexander on his journey back to Persia, 18 Mr. Jain also cites various Brahmanical texts in which Jain monks are designated as naked recluses. These texts are mostly of later dates, and sometimes
6 Wileon's Works, vol. I, p. 294, quoted by H. Jacobi in 1.A., vol. IX, pp. 161-62; Banerji-Sastri, JBORS., vol. XII, pp. 53-62.
6 Jain Yuga, vol. II, p. 53. R. A. F. Hoernle, JASB., 1898, pp. 40-41; J. Charpentier, Cambridge History of India, vol. I, 1922, pp. 154-55; Ramaprasad Chanda, Annual Report, A.S.I., 1925-26, pp. 176-77.
7 Cambridge History of India, vol. I (1922), p. 164. SKP. Jayaswal, Nagari Pracharini Patrika, vol. X, p. 501. 9 V. Smith, Jain Stupa and other Antiquities of Mathura, p. 24, pl. XXVII. 10 Ibid., Introduction, p. 6.
11 Macdonell and Keith, Vedic Index, vol. II, p. 284. 12 C.H.I., vol. I, pp. 77-78.
13 Ibid., pp. 358-9.