Jainism

Author(s): N R Guseva
Publisher: Sindu Publications P L

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INTRODUCTION TO THE INDIAN EDITION ix
population, class relations in the Aryan society took shape simultaneously with the process of class and caste formation. The process of caste-class division of society, rise of high and low castes, naturally found reflection in the ideology.
With the arrival of greater and greater numbers of Aryans in North-west India, the sphere of Aryan colonisation increased and the process of assimilation by the Aryans, of the local population, in whose environment class relations had not as yet formed, assumed more violent character. The expansion of Aryans could not but call forth resistance of pre-Aryan (i.e. settling in India before the intrusion of Aryan tribes) peoples. In our opinion this resistance to a significant degree expressed itself in new faiths, arising on the borders of 'vedic' i.e. postAryan) world, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Bhagvatism, etc.
The rise of Jainism is viewed in this book precisely from this aspect.
Special place in this work is given to the question as to why scholars often call these religions, or reformatory faiths,
Kshatriya', connecting their origin and development with the activity and historical role of the Kshatriyas, the material c of ancient India. The writer of this book attempts to show, how in the epoch of the formation of class relations, the Kshatriya caste took shape in Aryan and non-Aryan society of India and how the struggle of Kshatriyas with Brahmins—the priestly class facilitated the rise and growth of reformatory faiths.
Jainism, along with other new religions of that epoch took shape as an independent system, mainly on the basis of cult and ethical beliefs, existing in the environments of non-Aryan peoples. It is possible that it partially adopted elements of religious beliefs or religious-cult practices, which were known to the pre-Aryan population of Harappa and other cities of the Indus Valley civilisation and later also adopted elements of those cults, which had spread amongst local peoples, who had settled in the Gangetic valley. The process of formation of Jainism is viewed precisely from this aspect. It is suggested that several philosophic. and cult-beliefs of the Aryans also formed its part. These were introduced by the first Aryan newcomers, who had penetrated on the eastern Gangetic soil, earlier than others.
The chapters devoted to the customs of the Jains and to