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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
the Jaina order were recruited from the various parts of the country and from different strata of the society. Thus, even though trying their best, they could not do away completely with the habits or practices to which they were habituated since birth. In such circumstances fair tendency to show considerable latitude is clearly visible in every aspect of life. For instance, during the period of long fasts the Cūrni allows consumption of liquid and dry food ( vamjana-misa and nyambila ) by the monks of Sindhu and Kornkana respectively, as the people in the former country were not accustomed to take dry food due to the eating habits of their region.' This spirit of adaptability and eagerness to change for the welfare of the Church may be summed up in the words of Somadeva :
“It is legitimate for the Jainas to follow any custom or practice sanctioned by popular usage so long it does not come into conflict with the fundamental principles of the Jaina faith or the moral and disciplinary vows."2
Besides these changes in the general life of the monks, fundamental changes can be seen in the form of Jainism which are in strange contradiction to the original tenets of the religion.
Jainas had questioned the existence of God as the Creator of this world and believed that there was no overlord commanding this universe. According to them, Loka ( world ) was never created, nor it is supported by any being of the name of Hari or Hara? and is in a sense eternal, yet they believed in the eternity of the soul, the state of perfection and the possibility of each soul achieving it by its own efforts. This rationalistic atheism of the Jainas was in direct opposition to the theism and "the priest-ridden ritualism of the Brāh
1. NC. 1, p. 145. 2. सर्व एव हि जैनानां प्रमाणं लौकिको विधिः । यत्र सम्यक्त्वहानिर्न यत्र न व्रतदूषणम्
Yašastilaka, Book VIII, Section 34; Handiqui,op. cit, p. 332. 3. Sharma, S. R., Jainism and Karnataka Culture, p. 132.
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