Jainism And Its History

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

Page 96

and also with it they expect religion to remove obstacles, which come in impact of Vedic tradition on Jainism the way of his achievement.He believes that Dharma is a medium of obtaining the desirable and destroying the undesirable. Because of this natural tendency of human beings Jaina tradition could not remain uninfluenced by Hindu religion, and completely stable in the spiritual form of rituals and ceremonies. It did develop some deformities.
To eradicate these deformities the Sthānakavāsi sect came into existence, which disapproved of Idol-worship. The truth is that, the follower of Jaina religion after all, is the same human being is not completely free from the desire of happiness and prosperity in his mundane life. Thus for Jaina Ācāryas it became imperative to add some rituals and ceremonies in their main religion, which are helpful in the mundane wellbeing of their followers, and have their faith in their own religion unhindered and secure. This was not logically consistent for a religion that had staunch belief in spiritual renunciation and the theory of Karma; but still it is a historical fact that Jainism did develop this tendency and it was necessary to remove or overcome it.
The Tīrthankara of Jainism can neither be a supportive nor an obstacle in worldly well being of an individual, therefore the concept of Yaksa-Yaksi as Śāsana-Devatas or Devis or as administrator gods and goddesses were introduced in Jaina worship ceremonies. Then, it was believed that the Yaksa-Yaksi after being propitiated by their devotees would bestow happiness on them.
Protector goddesses such as Laksmi, Sarasvati, Padmāvati, Ambikā, Cakresvari, Kāli etc. and Yaksas, Dikpālas
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