________________
The contribution of Jainas in the field of Art and... 101
Opposition to Caityavāsa and origin of Samvigna Sects
The wave of change came again in Jaina tradition in 1614 century AD when spiritualism dominated Jaina religion got bogged down in ostentatious rituals. The iconoclastic attitude of Muslim rulers was beginning to in shake people's faith in idol-worship. It is at this time the Jainas, like the Hindus came under the influence of simple and unostentatious religious practices of the Muslims. In Jaina tradition too, like Nirguņa saints in Hindu tradition many saints appeared who opposed ritualistic forms of idol-worship with fanfare. With the result a reformist movement began in both Svetāmbara and Digambara sects of Jaina religion. Among them Lokāśāha in the Śvetāmbara tradition and Tāraṇaswāms and Banarasi Das in the Digambara tradition were the prominent ones. Though, Banarasi Das belonged to Svetămbara tradition by birth his reformative movement was related to Digambara tradition. Lokāśāha opposed idol-worship and religious rituals and fanfare. This sect later came to be known as Lokāgaccha. It is this, which developed into Sthānakavāsī sect in 176 century AD, which again in 18th century AD got branched off into another sect called Svetāmbara Terāpantha based purely on the ideology of the path of renunciation;
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
