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[10] Arthaśāstra : The spring-well of the code of conduct of the
Jainas :
When we go through the details of the Arthaśāstra and particularly with the help of the chapters dedicated to the rules, crimes and punishments, we immediately come to know that the Jaina ācāryas have accommodated the contemporary civic rules in the conduct of a Jaina monk and a householder. The similarity between the Cāņakyan rules for merchants and the Jaina transgressions of aņuvratas is really stunning.
Monachism found in angas and mūlasūtras is of prescriptive nature. Bhadrabāhu (I), a contemporary of Cāņakya added punishments in the monastic conduct in the form of various penances during this period. Later on, the study of chedasūtras and prāyascittas was made compulsory for a bhikṣu who desires to lead the samgha.
In nutshell, we can say that the duties and rules prescribed for a Jaina householder or a Jaina monk are connected with the Kautilīya Arthaśāstra and remained the same through the several centuries. It is interesting to note that the description of grhasthāśrama and saṁnyāsāśrama is not so neatly carved in the brahmanic tradition and gone through several changes during the centuries. [11] The attitude to look at Cāņakya and the Arthaśāstra :
Though the Arthaśāstra is enumerated among the list of the books of the brahmanic literature, its overall liberal attitude, secular nature and the pure Polity (rājanīti ) was not appreciated by the latter dharmaśāstrakāras and smrtikāras. We observe that the high regard towards Cāņakya and his Arthaśāstra is slowly diminishing in the brahmanic tradition. In the Jaina tradition the same awe, honour and regard for Cāņakya and his Arthaśāstra is seen through
centuries.
