Jainism

Author(s): M R Gelra
Publisher: Createspace

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Karnatka and Kumarpal of Gujarat. During the period (746-806), Jains moved into positions of great influence as ministers and financiers in Gujarat. Although the king Vanaraja's successors reverted to Shaivism, Jains were able to establish a power base that remained relatively effective for many years. They managed to retain a certain measure of political and economical influence in the kingdoms by centering religious activities in their many wealthy temples and by promoting the prohibition of animal sacrifice in the Muslim kingdoms of the north. For example, during the Mughal period, Akbar was persuaded by the Jain monk Hiravijaya-Suri to 'release prisoners, caged birds and to prohibit the killing of animals on certain days'. This practice is still continuing in certain states of India. In the mid-twelfth century, the Jains even brought a brief 'Golden Age' of their own in the Saurashtra area, called the period of 'Kumarpal'.
Secondly, the Jain Acharyas directed (Upasakadhyayana, 477-80) their Sravakas to participate in all worldy practices whether they were of government concern or business with members of the non-Jain community. This was held as long as there was neither a loss of pure insight nor violation of vows. This caused a reasonable balance between the two priorities; the continuation of Jain belief and the need for a fruitful interaction with the non-Jain society.
However, during the reign of Asoka, Jain communities fell upon somewhat hard times and there was a decline of Jainism in Magadha later on. The Jain ascetics migrated to different places. One led northwest to Mathura and one southward to Mysore. According to Digamber tradition, Bhadrabahu had arrived in the south many years earlier. Furthermore, during the 12th and 13th centuries, numerous temples were lost, either due to militant Hindu sects (particularly in Deccan) or to the conversion into mosques by invading Muslims. (Saletora 1938/272-281)
Thus, while the support of ruling Jain houses was extremely important, it was not sufficient to ensure the sect's long term survival. Clearly, we must look further into other factors such as Philosophy, Religion, Community, Art and Culture. The most important part is that Jainism adjusted itself to the cultures and customs of the places. It is still exerting its influence unhindered.
(iii) Western Findings
When European scholars first began to investigate the history of Jainism, nearly two centuries before, they felt compelled to conclude that Jainism is an offshoot branch of Buddhism due to the striking similarities between their ethical codes and institutions. However, German researchers like Jacobi, Buhler, Leumann, Weber and Zimmer later proved that Jainism is in fact much older than Buddhism. The author read the book of the German Indologist W. Schubring's on "The Doctrine of the Jains", quite long ago. Let me now quote the first paragraph of its first chapter titled 'A short history of Jain Research':
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