JAINA Convention 2005 07 JCNC

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 79

sons not known, Acharya Bhadrabahu could not attend this assembly where knowledge up to eleven Angas was reiterated. The 12th Anga (called Drastivaad) could not be recalled due to unavailability of Acharya Bhadrabahu. Most followers from Patliputra agenda were later known as Swetambar. Those who did not attend or agree with the translation of Angas were later known as Digambar.
After Bhagwan Mahavir swami's nirvana, only three monks - Gautam, Sudharma, and Jambu Swami were kevalgyani. After that only five Shrut kevali (full knowledge of scripture 12 Angas) existed. They were Vishnu, Nandimitra, Aparajit, Gowardhan, and Bhadrabahu. There was one Jain Dharma also known as Shravan Dharma.
Initially the faction was limited to the monks only. But soon it spread among the followers. Now we had Swetambar branching out to Mandirmargi (belief in Idol wor ship), and Sthanakvasi, - Tera panthi. (Not believing in Idol worship). Digambar also split into Beespanthi (belief in Murthipuja) and Tera panthi. Each year after the death of Acharya Bhadrabahu, the factions and friction had been growing unabated. Today there are hundreds of Jain factions in India and numerous factions in UK.
However, North America is the only place where faction is not home grown. Our monks and scholars move among all Jains with neutral and unbiased opinion and always try to unite all Jains as followers of Lord Mahavir Swami. It gives great joy to learn that our next generation does not give weight to Swetambar- Digambar, but give highest importance to Jain philosophy.
1. Understanding that all Jain factions Swetambar, Digambar, Stanakvasi, and Terapanthi are all direct followers of Acharya Bhadrabahu who was follow ing the original Jain Dharma preached by Lord Mahavir. The Jain Dharma preached by the 24 Tirthankars upto Bhadrabahu resulted in thousands of Siddhas those who attained highest knowledge and salvation. There were no factions. Therefore, it's important to note, that each faction today is a part of the original Jain Dharma but not the whole. Therefore, we in North America should recreate Jain Dharma of Bhagwan Mahavir by combining the knowledge available from all four faction's sacred books. In one such endeavor, meetings of minds from all four factions resulted in the monu mental text Saman Suttam (1974).
and unbiased opinion and always try to unite all Jains as
The following items could be incorporated to strengthen North America's Jain followers of Lord Unity which could set an example for worldwide Jain Community:
Mahavir Swami
2. Tatvarthsutra is every Jain's sacred book. We should follow both Tattvartha Sutra and Saman Suttam as every householder's scriptural text.
JAIN
2105
ᅲᅲ π
Our monks and scholars move
among all Jains with neutral
Extending Jain Heritage in Western Environment
73 www.jainelibrary.org