Doctrine of Liberation in Indian Religion

Author(s): Shivkumarmuni
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

Page 33

THE JAINA TRADITION
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The Digambaras believe in going about naked. According to them liberation cannot be achieved without practising nudity; therefore they do not wear any clothes. The Svetāmbaras on the other hand wear white clothes and think that nudity is not essential for the attainment of liberation.
According to the Digambaras, women cannot attain liberation as they cannot practise nudity. The Svetāmbaras hold that women can attain liberation. They point out the example of Mallinātha, the nineteenth Tîrthankara, who was a female Jina..
The Digambaras hold that the original Agamic collections containing the actual words of Lord Mahāvīra have been lost. They do not accept as authentic the extant Āgamic collections of the Śvetāmbaras. The Svetāmbaras, however, believe that they have preserved a large portion of the urkanon.
These two major Jaina sects are further divided into a number of sub-sects. There are three important sub-sects of Digambara ; Bisapanthi, Terāpanthi and Taraṇapanthi. The Svetāmbara sect too has three sub-sects : Murtipujaka, Sthānakavāsī and Terāpanthi. The Mūrtipūjakas are in favour of worshipping images of Tîrthankaras, whereas Sthānakavāsīs and Teräpanthis do not worship the images of Tīrthankaras; Sthānakavāsīs and Terāpanthis both have differences regarding the observance of certain monastic rules. The Bisapanthis believe in image worship and worship by using fruits, flowers, incense etc., whereas the Terāpanthis make use of lifeless things. The Taranapan this worship scriptures instead of images. All these sub-sects have their own history and religious background in addition to common points.
FORMATION OF THE JAINA CANON AND THE COUNCILS
The meaning and content (artha) of the Āgamas are of prime importance for the Jainas and not the words (sabda) which are only the media of communication of thought. According to the Jaina tradition the meaning of Āgamas was told by Lord Mahāvīra, whereas the verbal expositions of the meaning and content were given by the gañadharas, the principal disciples of Lord Mahāvīra, which, later on, got the shape of the sūtras.62 As the contents of the sūtras are in
52.
Cf. att ham bhāsai araha suttam ganthanti ganaharā niunam/
sāsanassa hiyatthaye tao suttam pavattai Avašyak aniryukti, 192.