Jain Journal 1975 07

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

Page 17

JULY, 1975
Jainism first won its missionary tendency through the Tirthankaras in their respective Ages, next through its Ganadharas and later Acaryas, king Candragupta Maurya and king Samprati, king Kharavela and others. It was clearly first through the power of king Candragupta Maurya Jainism was diffused throughout North India and spread to the South when he renounced the world and accompanied his Guru Bhadrabahu57 to Sravana Belgola as a mendicant. Finally it prevailed throughout India. The process leading up to this was of course, already in motion and the development of the historic Jaina mission had long since begun during the period of the Nandas58.
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The main expansion of Jainism took place in the time up to the seventh century A.D., i.e., when the Arabs planted its flag in Sindh, having inflicted a crushing defeat on king Dhahira of Sindh. Even since the fifth century A.D. the star of Jainism in India began slowly to pale as Vaisnavism emerged as the state religion in India by eclipsing Jainism and Buddhism in North India. In addition to the reasons already adduced, perhaps one of the factors is also the prebendalizing process which, in one sense, sets in with all religions, and which the Jaina school could promote.
Settled hiercrats59 dispensing grace, i.e. prebendaries appeared in the place of wandering mendicant monks. It appears, too, that Jainism often and preferentially employed ritually schooled and devoted Brahmanas for the temple service proper0.
As soon as a strictly disciplined organization with missionary purposes came on to the scene in competition, not only the external but internal weakness of Jainism became apparent. The Jaina Agamas and the Paṭṭāvalīs permit insight into the inner decay of Jaina order61, with its want of any hierarchical or status unity.
57 There is a controversy centering round the identification of this Bhadrabahu whether he was Bhadrabahu I or II and whether he was a senior contemporary of Sthulabhadra. It is very difficult to say about his identification without fresh light of information, for there are different Jaina traditions about the birth and ancestry of this Bhadrabahu.
58 See the inscription of king Kharavela, Vide Select Inscriptions, p. 209, "Nandaraja...nitam ca Kalinga-Jina".
59 The Yatis and Bhattarakas appear to be settled heircrats in the Jaina Sangha. 60 This practice is at present prevalent among the Digambaras and the Mandiramargi Murtipujak Svetambara Jainas.
61 The study of Jaina Guru parampara-Svetambara
and Digambara,
Dissensions in Jaina Sangha and Principal Schools of Jainism clearly shows the evidences of the inner decay of Jaina order.