Jain Journal 2008 04 No 04

SR No.: 520270
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 2008
Total Pages: 46
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 40

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JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XLII, NO4 APRIL, 2048
the types of śrāvaka in the same period. Sāntisūri (11th cent. A.D.) in his Dharma-ratna-prakarana (verse 32f) has enumerated four categories of śrāvaka, e.g. nāmu śrāvaka, sthāpanā śrāvaka, dravyaśrävaka and bhāva srāvaka. Nāma śrāvaka is one who is a Jaina in name only. Sthāpanā srāvaka is a Jaina layman who follows some statutory principles of Jain orders, but a dravya srāvaka is one who follows the Jaina rules compulsory for a Jaina, whereas a bhāva śrāvaka is a mere believer of Jainism.
After a few centuries, Ašādhara (1240 A.D.) in his Sāgaradharmāmrta and Medhāvin (1504 A.D.) in his Srāvakācara had given threefold classification of the Srāvaka. These are pākṣika, naisthika and sādhaka. This classification had little effect to the society.
In the 16th century A.D.' a great incident happened in the history of Jainism. It is to be noted here in this connection that in the reign of Great Akbar (1556 - 1605 A.D.) “whose spirit of tolerance and eclectism led him to form the idea of embracing all the Indian creeds in his new Ilahi Din or “Religion of God" - the Jains obtained a warrant prohibiting the slaughter of animals, etc., wherever their faith was practised". Bholanath Chunder in his Travels of a Hindoo (1869), Vol - I, notes :
“It is a remarkable sanad or document bearing the bonafide seal of Akbar, which has recently come to light, the name under which Pareshnath was known in that emperor's age appears to have been Semet Sikhar. This whole hill together with others in Bihar and Gujarat, was granted to, and bestowed upon Hira Vijaya Suri Acharya, the then pontiff of the Svetambara Jaina sect, by Akbar. They were given in perpetuity and there is an especial clause prohibiting the killing of animals either on, below, or about the hills (pp. 210 - 11)
In a similar way, John Tod in his Travels in Western India referring to this act of the Great Akbar remarks:
"It was this scrupulous regard for the religious opinions of all the varied sects within his mighty realm, that procured this monarch "he inevitable designation of Jagat Guru, “the guardian of mankind"
S.R. Banerjee, Introducing Jainism, 2002, p. 73 ; Prolegomena to Prakritica et Jainica, 2005, p. 168 f.