Jain Journal 1974 01

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

Page 38

122
of the pairing family in the transition period from the stage of Kulakarism to the developing stage of civilization. It was a great historical advance as the subjection of one sex by the other and it inaugurated slavery and private wealth along with it at the same time.
F. Engels holds the view that "the heritage bequeathed to civilization by group marriage is double-sided, just as every thing engendered by civilization is double-sided, double-tongued, self-contradictory and antagonistic"
JAIN JOURNAL
For men group-marriage actually existed even to the days of the Tirthankaras. What for a woman is a crime entailing dire legal and social consequences is regarded in the case of a man as being honourable. Such a picture of the position of woman is found during the period of civilization as depicted in the Jaina Agamas in connection with the account of the life of Ti thankaras.
Threshhold of Civilization
The stage of civilization was inaugurated by the progress in division of labour made by Rsabhadeva, as it is revealed in the division of the people into classes, such as, kumbhakara (potter), citrakara (designer or artist), nantika (weaver), karmakara (artisan), barber, etc.8.
The civilization brought about by Rsabhadeva made a third division of labour by creating a class that did not take part in production but embarked in exchanging products, i.e., the Vaisya (mercantile class) for the first time. In course of time this class captured the management of production as a whole and economically subjugated the producers
7 lbid., p. 67.
8 Avasyaka Curni, Pt. I, pp. 155-56; "ekka manussajai rajjupattii do kaya usabhe i tinneva sippavanie savagadhammammi cattari", Acaranga Sutra, Part I, 19, p. 7; yavannabheyo bhagavannadyapi rajalaksmimadhyaste, tavadekaiva manusyajatih tasyaiva rajyotpattau bhagavantamevasritya ye sthitaste ksatriyah, sesasca socanadrodanacca sudrah, punaragnyutpattavayaskaradisilpavanijyavrtya vesanadavaisyah bhagavato jnanotpattau bharatakakanitanchanaccharavaka eva brahmana jajnire je rayam assita te khattia jaya, anassia gihavaino jaya, jaya aggi uppanno taya pagabhavassita sippiya vaniyaga jaya, tehim tehim sippavanijjehim vittim visamtiti vaissa uppanna bhattarae pavvaie bharahe abhisitte savagadhamme uppanne bambhana jaya, nissita bambhana jaya, mahanatti ukkassagabhava dhammapia jam ca kimcivi hanamtam picchamti tam nivaremti ma hana bho ma hana, evam te janena sukamma nivatrita banna bam hana jaya suddha samvutta, AcarangaNiryukti, p. 7. (Silanka).