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Introduction to Jainism
has not been opposed to caste system. 102 The brāhmaṇa priests (pujārīs) are employed in Jaina temples.103 There was no trace of pessimism in the attitude of Rgvedic Aryans, 104 and the doctrine of transmigration of soul was unknown to the early Brāhmaṇas. 105 Probably, Hinduism adopted these features from Jainism.106 Tirthamkara Santinatha's sermon 107 sounds like a commentary on Gītā.108 The Jaina and Hindu Puranic teachings are almost identical.109 The definition of dharma as given by the Mahabharata and Guṇabhadra, the Jaina puraṇakāra, is identical.110 The doctrine of non-violence on which Jainism lays great stress has found modified approval in Hinduism.111 The Jaina pontiffs like Jinasena prescribed rules and practices laid down by Brāhmaṇa dharmasastras for the Jainas.112
Nāga-worship, tree-worship and yakṣa-worship were common to Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism in ancient India. 113 After the adoption of idol-worship the difference between a Hindu and a Jaina became almost non-existent in ancient India.114 In fact, with the passage of time little outward difference existed in the rituals, mode of worship and religious celebrations of the Hindus and the Jainas.115 The Hindu, Jaina and Buddhist idols were often
102. JI, p. 3; AOIU, p. 425; CUHI, p. 222; AOIK, p. 295.
103. Ibid.; RI, p. 286; ROAI, p. 125.
104. ERE, II, p. 802; CUHI, I, p. 29.
105. AOIU, p. 363.
106.
Ibid.
107. TSPC, vol. III, pp. 322-3.
108. S.D. Jha, op. cit., p. 257.
109. Ibid., p. 255.
110. Ibid., p. 254.
111.
RI, p. 287; S.D. Jha, op. cit., p. 255; JIR, p. 234.
112. S.D. Jha, op. cit., pp. 235-6; JSAI, p. 248.
113. V.S. Agrawala, Ancient Indian Folk Cults, Varanasi, 1970, pp. 104, 116, 180.
114. HOIC, I, p. 166.
115. JSAI, p. 248.
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