Jainism And Its History

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Research Foundation for Jainology

Page 78

From the historical evidences available, it looks that Nirgrantha Sangha went in two directions from its place of birth i.e. Bihar, in its mission to spread Jainism. One group went to south Bihar and Bengal then to Tamilnadu via Orissa and from there it travelled to Śrilanka and Jāvā, Sumātrā etc. Around 2nd century BC with increasing influence of the Buddhists Nirgranthas were ousted from Śrilanka and consequently they came back to Tamilnadu. Many Jaina records of around 1st century BC in Brahmi script are available in Tamilnadu, which prove the fact that; Nirgrantha-Sangha reached Tamilnadu as early as two or three hundred years after Mahāvīra's Nirvāṇa.
It is also believed that Ācārya Bhadrabāhu after having ordained Candragupta Maurya went to the south, though its historical authenticity cannot be proved without some controversy because the documents or records that mention this belong 6th to 7th century AD. Today also there is a vast number of Tamil Jains who represent the oldest followers of Jaina tradition. They are known as Nayanārs and Pancham Varnis. Though, with the passage of time, the ancient Jaina tradition has disappeared from Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. There are remnants of this tradition in the form of a caste or class called 'Saraka'. The term 'Sarāka' is a distorted form of Śravaka, and this caste customarily avoids meals after sun set, and the prohibition of words such as cut, kill etc., which indicate violence. These are some remnants of the samskaras that are prevalent even today. Because of the efforts of Digamber Acārya Jnanasagar and some other Svetambara monks these Sarākas have returned to the Jaina fold.
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