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JAIN HISTORY LITERATURE and SECTS
E01 - History of Jain Traditions and Sects
The whole of south India consisting of Deccan, Karnataka, Andhra, and Tamilnadu was a great stronghold of Jains, especially Digambar Jains, for more than 1000 years. Apart from the provincial capitals, Shravanbelgola in Karnataka was the center of their activities and it occupies the same position up to the present day. Jainism, however, began to decline in south India from the 12th century due to the growing importance of Srivaisnavism and Virasaivism. Jain monks were opposed,
brutalized, and even killed in southern India during clashes with Hindus. Jainism in West India
Jainism had very close relations with the rulers in the state of Gujarat. That state is where we find the largest concentration of Jains at present. On Mount Girnar in the Junagadh district, Bhagawan Neminäth, the 22nd Tirthankar, attained salvation. In the council of Jain ascetics held at Vallabhi 980 years after Bhagawan Mahävir's Nirvana, the Jain canon was for the first time written down. Just as south India is the stronghold of Digambar Jains, similarly, West India is the center of activities of Shvetämbar Jains. Regarding the migration of Jains to these parts of India, it is thought that the migrations must have taken place by 300 B.C. from eastern India. During this time, Jains were gradually losing their position in the kingdom of Magadha, and they had begun their migration towards the western part of India, where they have retained their settlements to the present day. Jainism flourished in Gujarat during the days of the Rästrakuta monarchs, many of whom were devout Jains, and received a further spur at the hands of the venerable Jain ruler Vanaraja of the Chavada family. Around 1100 A.D., Jainism gained a great ascendancy when the Chalukya king Siddharaj and his successor Kumärpäl openly recognized Jainism and encouraged the literary and temple building activities of the Jains. During the days of Vaghelas in the 13th century A.D., Jainism received patronage through the hands of Vastupäl and Tejpal, the two famous Jain ministers of the time. They were responsible for constructing the beautiful temple cities at Shatrunjay, Girnar, and Abu. Thereafter, even though Jainism did not receive royal patronage as before, the numerical and financial strength of Jains gave their religion a continued place of honor, which is acknowledged even to this day. As in Gujarat, the Jain religion also flourished in the region of Maharashtra from ancient times. In it, ancient Jain cave temples are found in Ellorä (Dist. Aurangabad), Ter (Dist. Osmanabad), Anjaneri (Dist. Näshik), and many other places in the interior areas. Renowned and influential Jain saints like Acharya Samantabhadra, Virsen, Jinsen, and Somadeva were intimately connected with Maharashtra and had composed their sacred works and literary masterpieces in this region. From the third century A.D., the powerful ruling dynasties like the Sätavahanas of Paithan, Chalukyas of Kalyan, Rästrakutas of Malakhed, Yädavas of Devagiri, and Silaharas of Kolhapur and Konkan extended their royal patronage, in a large measure, to Jainism. As a result, we find that the Jains and the Jain religion had a prestigious position in Maharashtra during the ancient and medieval
periods. Jainism in North India
By 300 B.C., the migration of Jains began from eastern India to different parts of the country. One of their branches was firmly established in North India from the middle of the second century B.C and was settled in the Mathura region. It was in Mathura that the second Vächana (Recension) writing of Agams took place around 265 A.D. under the guidance of Skandilächärya. It is clear that Mathura was a stronghold of Jains for nearly 1000 years up to 500 A.D. Another center of Jain activities in the North was Ujjayini, the capital of Maurya Emperor Samprati. There are several references to Ujjayini in Jain literature and the city has played an important role in the history of the Jain religion. During the Muslim period, Jainism could not get the royal and popular support it used to receive, but it succeeded in holding its own without much trouble. During this period, the largest number of Jain
Compendium of Jainism - 2015
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