Jaina Law Bhadrabahu Samhita

Author(s): J L Jaini
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 93

APPENDIX B.
77
Mahavira, the last of the Tirthankaras, who was born at Vaisali in 599 B. C. and attained Nirvana at Pavapuri in 527 B. O.
The doctrine of a Hindu origin for Jainism and the Jainas is thus with no historical support whatsoever. Hasty assumptions, in the teeth of all the sacred and secular traditions of the Jainas, account for this accumulated error. Yet it is not without a struggle that the doctrine established itself in Courts of Law. Even in the eartiest text-books, a sort of note of warning ageinst the error is sounded. A crude Statement is made in an old book, Lord'Display, 1630. Jaina priests of Surat are considered a part of the Brahmin Body, though Shudras by caste. In other words, they are non-Brahmanic Braumins. What this means is this :-Jainism recognises the vama rather than the Caste System. The varna system approaches the well-known class system of modern European societies more than the caste-system. The vama-system is elastic, and would seem to be based on occupation more than on birth. Jaina Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas are recognised, and, in fact, they are found oren to-day in Southern India. These Brabmapas, etc, would probably make up the darnas Brahman, etc., with the Hindus of the corresponding class. The caste system is more identified with prohibitions as to interdining, etc., &c., and is certainly a later evolution or degeneration of the varna system. J. H. Nelson and Dr. Thomas have been mentioned already. Steele, in his Hindu Castos, says: “Jainas have books of their own."
. In 1781, the British Parliament, with reference to the • Supreme Court at Calcutta, provided, that "inheritance and
succession to lands, rents and goods, and all matters of contract and dealing between party and party, shall be determined in the case of Mahomadans by the Laws and Usages of Mahomadans, and, in the case of Gentus, by the laws and usages of the Gentus, and when only one of the parties shall be a