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Jaina Community-A Social Survey
allowed to contract matrimonial alliances among themselves Further, with these factors territorial considerations have also. to be taken into account. Accordingly the partners to the marriage must not only belong to the same caste or sub-caste and to the same sect or sub-sect but also must be the residents of a particular locality. Thus there is practically no scope given to the Jainas in the important matter of the choice of their life partners. It is evident that in these circumstances the married life cannot be conducive to happiness and many a time marriages have recssarily to be contracted between not too distant relatives. Moreover, due to these three-fold restrictions the already existing deficiency of females is further hightened and comparatively many males are required compulsorily to remain unmarried against their wish throughout their life. All these things tell upon the growth of the population and create discontent among the people. It will therefore be seen that the caste solidarity is tried to be maintained through restriction on marital relations even though they definitely go against the interests of the community as a whole.
In these circumstances it is quite obvious that the social organisation of the Jainas should not be based on the caste system if the Jainas have to put a stop to their gradual decline. The Jainas must unhesitatingly discard the caste system forthwith. In doing so they are, undoubtedly, not going against their religion because Jainism never sanctioned the caste system. It must be remebered that in the past castes were not found in the Jaina community at all. There is not even a slight evidence in the doctrines of Jainism, in the ancient history of the Ja na society or in the ancient Jaipa literature regarding the existence of caste-distir.ctions in Jaina community. Even the names of present Jaina castes are nowhere mentioned in the Jaina literature of one thousand years after the death of Lord Mahāvira.182 Historically viewed the castes are thus of a relatively receni origin and can therefore be easily removed. The earlier it is done the better it will be for the growth and prosperity of the community. It is obvious that for uprooting the caste system all things, mentioned above, which foster caste consciousness, will have to be set aside forever as a commor policy by all members of the Jaina community.
NOTES 1. Dutt, R. C. : Civilisation in the Buddhist Age, p. 77. 2. (i) C. H. I., Vol. I, pp. 152-153. (ii) Parekh, R. B. : The Priority
of Jainism over Buddhism , pp. 34-35.
