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AFTER MAHAVIRA AND THE SCHISM
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adaptability must have been responsible for the popularisation of the Yakși cult and also for the ceremonial and ritualistic innovations in the worship of gods by the Jaina priests in South India. 16 The Yāpaniyas and their views met with an opposition from the conservative sections of the community. Their popularity was mainly due to flexibility in religious precepts, free movement among the masses, grant of minor concessions to othe creeds, introduction of Yaksa and Yaksiņi cult, establishment of religious institutions owing to the generous grants from the rulers and the public, and encouragement to women to enter the monastic order.
It is difficult to say when the new school of thought disappeared, inspite of the popularity of its doctrines and influence of its monks and nuns on public life. It seems to have survived till the end of the 15th Century A. D. as evidenced by inscriptions mentioning the death of two saints by name Dharmakirti and Nāgacandra in Vikrama Samyat 1451, found at Kagwad in Belgaum District.
Mention is made in some books about the tradition of Ardhaphālaka, particularly by Sri Ratnanandi Ācārya in his 'Life of Bāhubali'. Ratnanandi has stated that the monks of this sect used to cover their nakedness by a piece of cloth. It can therefore be inferred that this sect was in vogue just before the Śvetāmbara sect fully developed into a division of the Jaina community.
Whatever may be the number of divisions, all schools are unanimous in recognising the Tirthankaras and the principles preached by them. The differences are superficial in that they pertain more to form than to the substance of tbeology, ethics and metaphysics of the Jaina religion.
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