________________
OCTOBER, 1981
were scattered through the vast literature. Hence, these were lost to them. Mahavira in a very simple language, preached these ordinary but very useful principles of ethical code for the proper guidance of men and women of the society. Thus, he brought out the treasures that were hidden in the sea of the Upanişada literature and thus hidden from the common eye. Herein lies the speciality of Mahavira. Had he not preached these principles these would not have attracted the notice of the people in the way these did, because commonplaces do not ususlly attract the notice of the society.
During the life time of Mahavira, there was no schism among the Jainas. But differences between the goups was latent in the society and it centred around the nakedness followed by the disciples of Mahavira and non observance of this practice by the old Nirgranthas. This difference became bitter when Bhadrabahu and his followers, who went to Karnataka during the famine that occured at about 400 B.C. when Candra gupta Maurya was on the throne of Magadha, came back naked to Magadha and found that those who stayed at Magadha under the leadership of Sthulabhadra during the famine wore clothes. They did not recognise the literature collected by Sthulabhadra and others during the 1st Jaina Council. This difference, associated with some other minor differences led to the final division of the Jaina community in the 1st century A.D. into two main groups viz. Digambara (sky clad) and Svetambara (white clad).
Though there was division, it was only outward, it did not affect the inward practices of the Jainas which were common for each group. The difference betweens the two can be briefly noted as below :18
To the Digambaras, Mahavira's statue must be naked, women cannot attain release, Mahavira was for ever a bachelor and the Jaina ascetics must remain sky-clad.
Now, in connection with the teachings of Mahavira, it has been pointed out by Prof. A. L. Basham19 that these do not involve love to the world. The vow that comes near to this requirement is the first vow, not to injure20 i.e. the doctrine of ahimsā. In the Jaina system, the doctrine of ahimsā
18 See Sen. A. C., Op Cit., p. 18. 19 Basham. A. L., The Wonder that was India, Calcutta, 1963. Orient Longmans Ltd.,
P. 293.
20 Some authors prefer the word 'non-violence to the words 'not to injure'. But as
the word 'non-violence' has a political flavour, I use the words 'not to injure' in place of the word 'non-violence'.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
