Jaina Literature in Tamil

Author(s): A Chakravarti, K V Ramesh
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 30

JAINA LITERATURE IN TAMIL
Again from an evidence in the Pañcavimša Brahmana' it may be inferred that on certain periods antiritualistic sections among the Āryans were more dominant and thus preached against Indra worship which did involve sacrifice. The persons who preached against Indra worship and anti-sacrificial ritualism are described as yatis with clean-shaven heads. When Indra worship was revived once again by a powerful king, under the influence of the orthodox section, the revivalism led to the destruction of these yatis whose heads were cut off and cast to the wolves. These facts given from non-Jaina literature are of great value in as much as they give us an inkling as to the antiquity of the religion of ahimsā.
Now turn to the Jaina literature. What do you find there? Of the. 24 Jaina Tīrthankaras beginning with Rşabha and ending with Mahāvīra, all are from the kşatriya clan. It is said that Lord Rşabha, the first of the Tīrtharkaras, was the first to preach the doctrine of ahimsā and turn the attention of the thinkers to the realisation of Self or ātman by the path of tapas or yoga. Most of these Jaina leaders of religion are associated with eastern countries; Rşabha from Ayodhyā and Mahāvīra from Magadha and of the intervening 22 mostly from countries generally grouped
1 Pañcavimsa Brāhmaṇa, 8-1-4, 13-8-17, 14-11-28; Muir: op. cit., Vol. IV, pp. 491-93; P.V. Kane: op. cit., Vol. II, part I, pp. 418-19.