Book Title: Jain Shwetambar Conference Herald 1915 Book 11 Jain Itihas Sahitya Ank
Author(s): Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Jain Shwetambar Conference
View full book text
________________
The Date of Siddharshi,
274 6
but from an interest to know the men for whom and whose assistance I and my friends are expected to work. I shall be glad to do what I can to assist you in publishing texts which are buried as it were in Mss, accessible but to few.”
I am desired by Mr. Keshavlal to send this information to you. I try to do the same.
The Jains are divided into two sections ( 2 ) Digambara (1) Swetambar. The chief difference between the two in the belief of niet to women. The S. section contend that they have this capacity, while the other section negative it. There are minor differences also. Among the Swetambers recently a non-ido. latrous section has arisen. Its origin is put in the 16th century. I should here say that I and my friend Mr. Keshavlal belong to the idolatrous Swetambar section. ... The population of all the Jains in India is nearly 1500000. Their chief centres are Ahmedabad, Bombay, Patan, Bhavnagar, Surat, Culcutta &c. Most of the Jains are Vaishyas. Laymen are known as Shravakas. There are good many rich persons in the community. I write to you the names of leading lay. man Jains. They all takes much interest in the modera movement for progress in matters educational......
These are some of the leading Jains. There are others also, but I cannot name them all.
The spiritual section is variously constituted. Theoreti. cally there were 84 Taggs, chiefly separated for discipline-There is practically no difference of ara. The jagus extant and of importance are तप, खरतर and पायचंद. The greatest is the first. It was again divided into 13 subsections. This also appears was due to discipline. The present subsections are विजय, सागर and विमल. साधुs of the तपगच्छ are of two kinds. संवेगीसाधुs have completely renounced the world, they are celibate and do not keep a single farthing with them. They travel on foot and their work is to give Upadesha where-ever they go. They have no permanent place of abode and they in course of their journey stay at the Upashrayas ( places set apart for performing religious ceremonies in every town having Jain population). They do not cook, but at the time of dinner go about
