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જૈનયુગ
આષાઢ-શ્રાવણ ૧૯૮૩
and hymns, they are offering them flowers The basis of their holy litetature is a scents etc. Gods like Indra Vishnu whom canon of eleven books-anga, which is writthey accepted from a former religion (Brah- ten in a pracrit dialect, that is known by manism) are sub-ordinate, mortal beings, us only fragmentary. The style of these who got some functions in the ruling, of the scriptures is very similar to that of "Triworld as the reward for their previous pitakam". and they have been originated virtuous lives. Every man can become god ccrtainly before the birth of Christ. after his death and therefore the gods are The latter religious books are written not invoked.
mainly in sanskrit, and most of them have The Jainas do not recognise the autho- no greater literary value being rather fanrity of the Vedic scriptures, although they
tastic and of a bombastic character. In are sometimes quoting them. But they
the profane literature Jainas created works recognise-specially in Southern India-castes
of a high poetical and scientifical value. and the religious ceremonies are performed
The history of Jainas is little known. for them by orthodox Brahmans and not
We know only that the jainism harmonized
with brahmanism as well as buddhism, by jaina priests. They prove their spiritu. alism by frequent fasting, etc., and specially
but there were still hostilities between jainism they abstain from doing harm to any living
and buddhism. We know very little when being.
and how jainism has spread in India, Jainas are as laymen sravakas disciples To-day Jainas are scattered nearly through and clergy/jatis, sramanas ascetics. These whole India; they are about one and ascetics are living either as hermits or as quarter millions. Most of them are in monks in monasteries, and are obliged Mewar and Marwar, and in Dekkhan. specially to keep temperation etc. In order They live always in peace with confessors that they may not kill unconsciously even of other religions, Jaina laymen are spethe microscopical beings in the air, in the cially renowned by their commercial ability. water or on the ground, they tie round Almost half of all the Indian trade is in their mouth a piece of cloth, and drink the hands of Jainas. water which was boiled or three times Jainas are divided in several sects of filtred. sweep the ground with a special which most important are two viz. Digam. broom before they sit down, etc.
baras i. e. dressed by air-nacked who are Tainas created plenty of beautiful tem. now using coloured dresses and are living ples and sculptures and a great literature, more rigorously, and Svetambaras i. e. white spiritual as well as profane.
dressed.
