Jaina Religion Historical Journey of Evolution

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 86

72 Jaina Religion: Its Historical Journey of Evolution
Metārya, Mātangamuni etc. being ordained as monks and later attaining moksa. Idol-worship in Jaina Religion and entry of Ostentatious Ritualism
Though the tradition of temple building and image worship began in Jaina dharma just about 100 years after Mahāvīra's nirvāņa during Nanda period, it is difficult to ascertain as to whether an excavated headless figure from Harappa is Jaina or not, but a Jaina-idol of Maurya period found in Lohanipur in Patna is indicative of the fact that the culture of idol-worship was there in Jaina religion and that there had been an influence of the contemporary traditions.
Ritualism and spiritual endeavours are indispensable parts of every religion. Ritualism is its body and spiritualism its life-essence. Both these kinds of tendencies are clearly visible in Indian religions right from ancient times. Whereas the original Vedic tradition was mainly ritualistic, the ancient Sramanic traditions were Meditational. But still, it is difficult to completely separate both these tendencies from one another. The code of spiritual and religious sādhanā of Śramanic tradition gradually developed into expressions of different forms of ritualism. It is proved from various internal and external evidences that most of