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From the social history of India it is clear that Tirthankara Mahāvira ushered in a new era of hope and aspirations for the common people and succeeded in considerably changing the life, outlook and values of the people. He introduced various new concepts and ideas which revolutionised the entire course of life of the people. The significance of Tirthankara Mahāvīra lies in successfully effecting a social change and in making institutional and other arrangements for the perpetuation of his new social order. Obviously, the Jaina Acaryas and thinkers continued to advocate this new social policy. Thus the Jains made remarkable contributions to the development of Indian Society.
Jaina Contribution to Indian Society
Dr. Vilas A. Sangave
1.
Establishment of Social Equality :
The most significant contribution of the Jains in the social field was the establishment of social equality among the four Varna, i. e. classes, prevalent in the society. Tirthankara Mahāvīra succeeded in organizing his large number of followers into a compact social order quite distinct from that of the Brahmanic social order of the Vedic period.
The Vedic society was composed of four classes, viz., Brāhmaṇa, Rajanya, Vaiśya and Śūdra. They were said to have come from the mouth, the arms, the thighs and the feet of the Creator Brahman. The particular limbs ascribed as the origins of these divisions and the order in which they were mentioned indicated their status in the society of the time. Not only the four classes were distinct and separate, but they were also affected by the spirit of rivalry among themselves. Even in the early Rigvedic times the Brahmanical profession had begun to set up claims of superiority or sacredness for itself and accordingly we find that different rules were prescribed for different classes. The Kṣatriyas were assigned a position next to Braahmin and Sūdras were comparatively neglected. Thus the Vedic Society was completely classridden in the sense that unusual importance was given to the Brahmin class to the detriment of other classes.
परिसंवाद -४
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