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JAINISM
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of the Bnddha, to be historical personalities. It has also become an established fact now, that Jainism is indeed a very ancient doctrine, by far older than Buddhism.
At present, Jainism is represented by numerous sects, which, differing from one another in several points, have been engaged, since many centuries, in violent mutual polemics. The two great branches of Jainism are the Svetambars and the Digambars. The Digambar Jains maintain that, as the Tirthankaras, on their highest stage, never wore clothes, in the same way the monk should be naked, too, in order to symbolize his freedom from bodily care. This is why they have been called "Digambaras," i.e., the Sky-clad Ones." The Digambaras maintain, moreover, that, after the attainment of the highest mental perfection. Kevalajnana or Omniscience, the body of the saint becomes so purified as to require no longer any food, and can still exist for many years to come. According to their doctrine, woman, moreover, cannot attain Salvation without having been re-born as a man. The genuine words of the Tirthankaras they believe to be lost, and all the present writings to be unauthoritative.
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The Svetambars, i.e., "the White-clad Ones," are named so, because they believe the last Tirthankara to have worn scanty white clothes, and accordingly, allow their monks to wear the same kind of clothes, in conformity with the etiquette and usage of the world, (The lemon-coloured robe, by-the-bye, which has, since the twelfth century, been adopted by a special school of Svetambar monks, is merely meant to distinguish the true, renouncing ascetic from the "Yati" or half-ascetic, who wears all the insignia of the monk too).
Also with regard to the other points mentioned the Svetambars profess the contrary opinion. They believe part of their ancient Prakrit-Literature, the holy Agamas, to represent the genuine word of Lord Mahavira, taken down by His Ganadharas or chief pupils.
Both the great sects are divided into several sub-sects, amongst which the Calvinistic Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi Sects of the Svetambars deserve attention, because, probably influenShree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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