Jain Shwetambar Conference Herald 1918 Book 14

Author(s): Mohanlal Dalichand Desai
Publisher: Jain Shwetambar Conference

Page 68

11th Jain Swetamber Parishad. Langota Akar and appear as clothed. The Shwetambaris adorn their sacred images and charans while the Digambaris do not do as such. Then again apart from the question bearing directly upon the symbolic figures themselves, there is also a good deal of difference in the method of worshipping these sacred representations of the Tirthankars between the two great sects. And these differences mark out the Shwetambaris from the Digambaris and I say that instead of entering into the antiquity respecting the priority and posterity in the order of time. There are other sufficiently strong facts to prove, to which of the two sects the Temples and Dharamsalas in dispute really belong. For if any one cares to take pains iu the inspection of these Temples &c, and the mode of worship prevailing at these places, the prominent place and position given to the symbolic représentations of the Tirthankars, will be at one with me wheu I say that because of the fact of the Shwetambari images occupying high and prominent place in these Temples, the Shwetambari style of worship being mniuly predo. minept there, we cannot but conclude that these Temples not only owe their origin to the Shwetambaris but their manage. ment and control too, had, all along the time, been in the hands of the Shwetambaris. It is true that the Digambari images are also to be found there and they too have the privilege of worshipping these images there, in their own traditional ways. But from the study of the position in space given to those Digambari images there, the comparatively insignificant way in which the worship of these images is car. ried on in these places, cannot but convince au impartial mind that it is due to the religious generosity and tolerance of the Shwetambars that these images happened to be located and worshipped there. Parallel cases of such things are also not wanting in the religious history of our brethren, the Hindus. In the Hindu places of pilgrimage the sacred images of other gods and godesses than that of the principal one, are not found wanting in the Hindu Temples. But this does not go to altor the sectarian character of the Temples and religious