Jaina Culture

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

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ANTIQUITY AND HISTORY
Kumarapala and Hemacandra :
Coming to the medieval period, King Siddharāja Jayasimha (A. D. 1094-1143) of Gujarat, although himself a worshipper of Śiva, had Hemacandra, a distinguished Jaina preceptor and writer, as a scholar member of his court. King Kumarapala (A. D. 1143-1173), the successor to Jayasimha, was actually converted to Jainism by Hemacandra. Kumarapala tried to make Gujarat in some manner a Jaina model State. On the other hand, Hemacandra, taking full advantage of the opportunity, established the basis for a typical Jaina culture by his versatile scientific work. He became famous as the Kalikālasarvajña, i. e., the Omniscient of the Kali Age. In South India the Gangas, the Rāṣṭrakūtas and the Hoysalas were Jainas. They fully supported the faith. Digambaras and Svetambaras :
There were both types of monks, viz., sacelaka (with clothes) and acelaka (without clothes), in the Order of Mahavira. The terms sacelaka and svelambara signify the same sense and acelaka and digambara express the same meaning. The monks belonging to the Śvetambara group wear white garments, whereas those belonging to the Digambara group wear no garments. The literal meaning of the word digambara is sky-clad and that of the svetambara is whiteclad. It was, probably, up to Jambu's time that both these groups formed the composite church. Then they separated from each other and practised the faith under their own Heads. This practice is in force even in the present time. The Svetambaras hold that the practice of dispensing with clothing has no longer been réquisite since the time of the last omniscient Jambu.
The following main differences exist between the Digambaras and the Svetāmbaras :
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1. The Digambaras believe that no original canonical text exists now. The Svetambaras still preserve a good number of original scriptures.