Introduction to Jaina Sadhna

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 20

Antiquity of Jaina Tradition : 13
into the life-stories of Jaina Tirthankaras presented in Jaina Purānas, yet their very existence can not be challenged. Whether we accept the historicity of Jaina Tirtharkara or not, it is beyond doubt that the Jaina-ideas of renunciation, austerity, penance, self-mortification, non-violence, celebacy, meditation etc. were prevalent in the pre Vedic period. Sri Ramchandra observes - Upanişads represent the Brahmanical spiritual thought — they borrowed spiritual thoughts from their Pre-Aryan adversaries, now friends in a perverted manner --- The Sramanic culture was ascetic, atheistic, pluralistic and realistic in content. This comes out clearest from a consideration of the earliest faith of the Jainas - one of the oldest living surviving sects of the Munis. The pre Upanisadic materialistic ( Pravrtti-Dharma) Vedic thought later evolved pseudo-spiritual thought (Nivetti-Dharma) mainly through the influences of the Muni or Šramana culture, in pre-Buddhistic times, within its fold ( Ramchandra Jain, The Most Ancient Aryan Society, pp. 48-49).
We must be aware of the fact that while the basic tenets, of Jainism in thought and practice, remained intact their explanations and applications were modified in confirmity with time and age by the Jaina Tirthankaras and Ācāryas. Every forthcoming Tirthankara made reforms and changes in previous ethical code and mode of religious practices as per the need of their age. As regards the ethical doctrines and religious practices of different Tirtharkaras, it is mentioned in Āvasyaka Niryukti (1258-1262 ) and some other commentaries of Jaina canonical texts that those of Lord Rşabha, Ist Tirthankara and Lord Mahāvira, last Tirthankara, were uniform while those of remaining Tirthankaras were different. There is a clear evidence in Uttaradhyayana (22/14-22 ) a Jaina text of early period that Lord Aristanemi had laid more stress on non-violence and even refused to get married due to slaughter of animals for his