Jain Legend Vol 3

Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana

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activities, they started accepting money, land, villages and other material gifts from their followers, both commoners and kings alike.
Commentator of Dar ana Pr bharta, Digambara c rya rutas gara has described the beliefs of Y pan ya and said "These monks and laity of Y pan ya congregation, based on ‘ratnatrayam p j yanti' used to worship the three jewels of the path of spiritual purification instead of worshipping the idols. However it can be inferred that after starting live at one place, and copying the tradition of temple dwellers congregation, they also started idol worshipping'.
While talking of idol worshipping, not one but a number of non partisan scholars express the view that idol worship was not prevalent amongst Jain laity. Views expressed by Digambara c rya rutas gara about Y pan ya followers also indicate that initially the laity who had firm belief in Jain doctrine used to perform psychic worship only and later on they started worshipping the feet emblems of T rthankaras and then of the idols.
Buddhist and other non Jain religions, in their quest to attract followers of other religions towards them started using attractive rituals and means. To annul these efforts, even Jains organizing eight days worship festivals, group pilgrimages and many such innovative means from time to time and averted the efforts of others to make Jainism weak and extinct as well as to protect Jainism from the fatal onslaught of other religions such as aiva and Buddhism etc.
The following facts are worth considering and knowing how and when Y pan ya congregation adopted worshipping the three jewels, the foot prints and then idols by their followers.
A detailed study of scriptures like cr mga etc does not bring even a single statement which stresses importance of idol worship either singly or in groups as an essential duty like observing vows, fasts, repentance, staying in the temple, self study for spiritual purification. Similarly we do not find any mention of donating for temple building, material for worshipping etc as essential duty for laity for spiritual purification.
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