Jainism And Its History

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

Page 89

tradition in its own amended form. Around 7th century AD, Ācārya Jinasena of the south, out of fear of social controversy and also for maintaining the identity and social respect of Jaina Dharma, absorbed the caste and Varna system of Hindu tradition in such a manner that the distinctiveness of the Jainas almost got lost. Ācārya Jinasena, for the first time, said, that the first creator Rsabha deva, after having propounded sixkinds of Karmas (actions) created three kinds of varnas i.e.Ksatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras. Later, in the same text it is said those who serve Ksatriya and Vaisya are Sudras. Sudras are of two kinds: (i) Karus (ii) Akarus. Karus are of two kinds: (i) touchable (ii) untouchables; washermen, barbers etc. are touchableSudras and Candālas etc. who live on the outskirts of the city are untouchables. The distinctions of Karus and Akarus and touchables and untouchables are made for the first time only in Parana period by Jinasena. None of his predecessors Jaina Ācāryas accepted such distinctions. But later Jaina Ācāryas who were influenced by the Hindu social system had by and large accepted this.
The commentator of Satprabhrta, Śrutasagar has discussed the "touchable' and 'untouchable' concepts though the writer of Purānas recognized the rights of Sudras to be initiated as Ksullakas. But later Digambara Ācāryas have reduced their right so much so that Sudras were not allowed to be ordained as monks; they were not even allowed entry into a Jaina temple. In the main text of Sthānāngasūtra of Svetambaras only the sick, mentally deranged or those obsessed by fear and eunuchs were not allowed to be ordained. But later commentators prohibited both categories of Sudras such as Candālas (birth or Jati related) or hunters (profession-related) from being initiated into monkhood. Though all this was against the original Jaina tradition but still this got accepted because of the influence of Hindu
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