Jain Journal 1977 01

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

Page 39

110
Post-Mahavira Period-2nd Phase:
During the first phase of post-Mahavira period the Indian subcontinent, particularly Northern and Eastern India, gradually had begun to be covered with the spiritual message of Jaina-dharma and in the second phase of post-Mahavira period, i.e., from the period of Bhadrabahu the disciple of Yasobhadra and Sthulabhadra, 89 the disciple of Sambhutivijaya this sphere of spiritual influence of Jaina-dharma reached its maximum so that much of what is now Jaina monkdom was covered by other religions-Brahmanism and Buddhism, etc. and culminated in the further evolution of Jaina Sangha in the Acarya period with space and time extension.
JAIN JOURNAL
Acarya Period-First Phase (Circa A.D. 1st-7th) :
Two events of great religious importance occurred in the Acarya period, viz.(1) Jaina Sangha evolved further and (2) the Svetambaras and the Digambaras appeared as two main Jaina sects of this Jaina Sangha.90 During this period of evolutionary change the original Sangha evolved into a great variety of ganas, gacchas, kulas, sakhas, etc.91 and the period is frequently referred to as the age of gana, gaccha, etc.92 The first two to evolve from the old Jaina Sangha with new names were Nirgrantha Sangha or gaccha93 on the Svetambara side and Mulasangha 94 on the Digambara side respectively. The Svetambara and Digambara guru parampara periods are frequently grouped together as Jainacarya period, for during this period there fluorished great professional intellectuals like Acarya Kundakunda, Acarya Umasvati, Acarya Devarddhi Gani, etc. whose intellectual activities gave rise to the major intellectual achievements of Jaina Sangha as a whole.95
89 Kalpasutra, Ksana 8, pp. 251-56 ff.; Nandisutra, Pattavali p. 48 ff.
90 According to the Digambara tradition, the birth of the Digambara sect was an accomphised fact in 79 A.D. (i.e. after, VS 136), while according to the Syetambara tradition, it took place after 609 years of Vira Nirvana. There must have been a long preparatory stage for this division of Jaina Sangha in the process of its evolution, after 600 or 609 years of Vira Nirvana. See Darsanasara, Gatha 11 for the Digambara views, and Sthananga, 7,V; Avasyak Niryukti and Tapagacchapattavali, Avasyak curni, p. 428.
91 See Early Mathura Inscriptions; Kalpasutra Sthaviravati; Nandisutra Pattavali. 92 See Pattavali Samuccaya, Pt. I.
93 See Pattavali Samuccaya, Pt. I, p. 45. Jain Silalekh Sangraha, Pt. II, pp. 69-70. ** Jain Silalekh Sangraha, Pt. II, Inscr. No. 90, p. 56.; Inscr. No. 94, p. 61,
95 As for instance, Acarya Kundakunda and Acarya Umasvati and Devarddhi Gani and others.