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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
the teachings remain unchanged but the difference between theory and practice forces its upholders to invent new rules, definitions and elaboration of the religious tenets. Such an attempt of reconciliation, of making the religion more liberal and adaptable so as to suit the changed socio-religious circumstances, can be judged from the Nisitha Curni. The spread of Jainism in different parts of the country, the different social and religious circumstances faced by the monks, the less severe forms of asceticism and discipline due to the laxity of the monks, deterioration among its votaries itself and above all an active effort for the popularity of the faith appear to be the possible causes which led to the transformation of the religion. The spirit of adaptability, so very essential for the propagation of the faith, is bound to affect changes. particularly in case of religions flourishing outside the land of their origin. Buddhism is known to have assumed various forms in the different parts of the world owing to the diverse cultural and social circumstances. Smith has observed: "While the original official Buddhism was a dry and highly moralised philosophy much resembling in its practical operation the Stoic Schools of Greece and Rome, the later emotional Buddhism approached closely to Christian doctrines in substance although not in name. In other direction it became almost indistinguishable from Hinduism."1 This statement seems to be equally true in case of the early medieval Jainism as depicted in the NC. Originated from northern India the religion had by these centuries spread in distant regions like Andhra, Tamil, Mysore and Karnataka in the south, Gujarat in the west, towards Rajasthan and further lands. The various social circumstances pertaining to diverse social practices which confronted the Jaina monks helped a lot in changing and determining the form of the early medieval Jainism.
Jainism was quite flourishing in various parts of the coun
1. Smith, V. A., Oxford History of India, p. 55.
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