Heart of Jainism

Author(s): Mrs Sinclair Stevenson
Publisher: Mrs Sinclair Stevenson

Page 98

72
HISTORY OF THE
with the Hindus. This element of division was not to be lacking between the two sects of Jaina. Sthūlabhadra was, the Jaina say, keenly alive to the importance of preserving their sacred literature, and he alone had learnt (in Nepāl) the ten Pūrva and (on condition of keeping them secret) the four other Pūrva. In spite of the absence of Bhadrabāhu and his party, he called a council at Pāțaliputra (modern Patna), which collected the Eleven Anga, but found that the Twelfth was missing. This Twelfth Anga contained fourteen Pūrva, which Sthūlabhadra was able to supply. When the famine was over, Bhadrabāhu returned; but he and his party refused to accept the work of the council of Patna and declared that the Anga and Pūrva were lost; they also declined to wear clothes. Though all this laid a very firm foundation for the schism between the Digambara (sky clothed, i.e. naked) and the Svetāmbara (white clothed) when it should come, yet the split did not actually arise till A. D. 142, according to Jaina dates, or A. D. 82 according to Dr. Hoernle.
Bhadrabāhu died in 297 B.C. and was succeeded by Sthūlabhadra, who remained the head of the whole community till his death in 252 B.C.
The six spiritual leaders who followed Jambū Svāmi are called Srutakevali, because, though the complete omniscience Jambū Svāmi and his predecessors attained was denied to them, they possessed complete knowledge of the scriptures. They were followed by the Daśapūrvi, or leaders who knew the ten Pūrva of the Twelfth Anga.
Śrutakevali.
Dasa. pūrvi.
The Great Schism. Two schisms had already taken place during the lifetime of Mahāvira, and two leaders had left the community. One was headed by Jamāli, son-in-law of Mahāvira, who denied that a thing is perfected when it is begun (which some Jaina scriptures teach), and was specially annoyed when