Jaina Political Thought

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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erosion of a later date. Nor in view of their probable dates is it safe to regard the material in the curnis as deriving from lost original sources. For example, the Nisitha Cumni of the 7th century A.D. does give many valuable details about administration but it would be hazardous to plead for their antiquity.
The list of the ten dharmas makes it clear that the word dharma was used in a wide sense. Its ontic sense was that of the principle of motion inherent in real substances. On the other hand, it stood for the principles of conduct and the principles revealed in tradition.The practice of these moral and religious principles, however, depended on the laws holding together the community in its various forms. These laws of actual persistence are held to be the more durable basis of the ideal principles which need to be individually practised. Sruta and caritra dharmas have a transcendental source and as ideal precepts their obligation on the individual depends on the acceptance of their truth or faith in their source. The dharmas of grama, nagara, rastra, pasanda, kula, gana and sangha are rules of common behaviour resting on general acceptance.The truth which belongs to these rules has been called desa-satya in the Tattvartha-vartika (ad. 1.20) The janapadasatya of the Thanamga should presumbly correspond to this.
Where kula, gana, and sangha are taken in the lokottara sense, it is clear that their rules are rules of discipline intended as means to the facilitation of moral rules. Whereas the moral rules essentially relate to motives and intentions, the rules of monastic discipline seek to regulate collective behaviour in conformity with them and lay down behavioural punishments for their breach and also the authorities which would adjudge such behaviour and oversee the punishments. This was called vyavahara and it was duly codified. On this analogy the rules of the non-religious associations would also appear to be rules intended to facilitate the purposes for which they exist i.e., as essentially instrumental in character. Since such rules must be so devised that they may be effective and at the same time generally acceptable, it follows that they must partake of a rational as well as a conventional. That is why they are a species of janapada-satya. The Buddhists called them samurtisatya, a variety which finds mention in the Jaina canonical list of ten truths.
As a norm for practice dharma has a common meaning in all the nine varieties excluding astikaya-dharma. As sruta and Caritra it obliges each person unconditionally for its own sake. In the other categories it is devised instrumentally. In the social-secular categories it takes instinctive purpose and behaviour for granted and assumes the form of a regulation or limitation. In this sense, the anuvratas may be regarded as paradigmatic of
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