Indian Culture and Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

Page 29

discipline in the form of Aņuvratas and Mahāvratas. It may be noted here that Mahāvīra gave utmost importance to the practice of Dhyāna, since it is directly related to the actualization of the divine potentialities.
8. According religious freedom to women and down-trodden people
Mahāvīra gave complete religious freedom to women. They were allowed to accept the life of asceticism like men. Mahāvīra himself initiated Candanā into the ascetic order. In the Samgha of Mahāvīra 36000 Sadhvīs were following religious observances. We hear of large number of women in the history of Jainas who distinguished themselves as teachers and preachers. "The followers of Jaina religion have been divided into four categories, viz., Sadhus, Sadhvīs, Śravakas and Śravikās. Sadhvīs are female ascetics who follow the five great vows in a very strict manner. This shows that complete freedom was given to women to enter the ascetic order. Female sex was no bar to the practice of asceticism. The Jaina Acāryas were extremely sympathetic in their attitude to women and admitted them freely into their order, no matter whether the candidates for admission were royal consorts, members of the aristocracy, and women belonging to the common run of society."
Religious freedom given to women enhanced their prestige in society. They were imparted education like men." The first Tīrthankara, Rsabhadeva realised the utmost importance of imparting education to females and advised his two young daughters, Brāhmī and Sundarī that "only when you would adorn yourself with education, your life would be fruitful, because just as a learned man is held in high esteem by educated persons, a learned lady also occupies the highest position in the female world. Both the girls were first initiated to writing by their father and later on with the help of teachers they studied all branches of knowledge to such an extent that they could be regarded as incarnations of Sarasvatī, the Goddess of Learning6." The greatest name among Jaina Women in Kannada Literature was Kāntī who, along with Abhinava Pampa, was one of the gems that adorned the Court of Hoyasala King Ballāla (A.D. 1100-1106). She was redoubtable orator and a poet who completed the unfinished poems of Abhinava Pampa in the open court of that ruler. Similarly, a Jaina lady Avvaiyāra, the Venerable Matron, was one of the most admired amongst the Tamil poets62"
Indian Culture and Jainism