Jain Journal 1972 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 81

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alluding to certain Jaina things, viz., Tirthankara Parsva, the Jaina work Kalyāṇakāraka and so on.) Then, apart from the strictly historical and chronological data contained in Jaina sources, the Jaina literature, epigraphic records and archaeological remains help us to reconstruct vivid pictures of life and society of different parts of the country in the different periods of its ancient history.
JAIN JOURNAL
In fact, the millennium in question, particularly its latter half (5th-10th century A.D.) was the most flourishing period in the history of Jainism, at least in South India. In those centuries Jainism had no serious militant rival and continued to bask in the sunshine of popular and royal favour. There were other sects which were equally patronised. Philosophical disputations and literary confrontations were also many and quite hot, too, but they were always taken in a sportsman-like spirit, created no ill-feelings and were generally devoid of physical persecutions. India of those times knew no forcible conversions. All the different sects heartily cooperated in the welfare and uplift of the nation. Jainas of the time, however, seem to have been ahead of others in many spheres. For example, as Dr. Altekar observes, "They seem to have taken active part in the education of the masses. That before the beginning of the alphabet proper, the children should be required to pay homage to Ganesa by reciting the formula śri ganesaya namah is natural in Hindu society, but that in the Deccan even today it should be followed by the Jaina formula om namah siddhebhyah shows, as Mr. C. V. Vaidya has pointed out, that the Jaina teachers of that age had so completely controlled the mass education that the Hindus continued to teach their children this original Jaina formula even after the decline of Jainism." It may be noted that the same formula in its corrupt from ona-masi-dhama has been in similar use in many indigenous pāṭhsālās in some parts of North India as well. The opening verse of one of Akalanka's (A.D. 643) works has been adopted as the mangala verse in many later non-Jaina works and inscriptions with the only change that for the word 'Jina' occuring in the original the word 'Siva' has been substituted. Numerous Jaina establishments were varitable centres of learning and served as great vidyapithas from which emanated the light knowledge, which contributed to mass education and also gave specialised instruction to persons of royal families and of higher classes. Food and medicine were provided for in these Jaina mathas and provision was also made for the teaching of Jaina scriptures.
In those days Jainism being a progressive and popular religion could readily adapt itself to political exigencies and take active part in rejuvenating life in the country whenever called upon to do so.
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