Jainism Some Essays

Author(s): A S Gopani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

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that imaginary speculations might not have been accommodated in it. New philosophical thought has no chance at all when the play of imagination is totally banned. It can also be explained on the ground of love for the orthodox line of Jaina thinking. It has been constant endeavour of the founders of all the Jaina sects to reach the very core of Jainism removing the accretions which might have accumulated with the passage of time. A new stream of Jaina thought that might have started flowing because of the impact or exigency or contingency of time, cannot claim to be a real part of Jainism because of its being merely new. The scrupulous observance of all that has been preached by Mahavira is Jaimism. There is no scope for improvement or betterment. No modernization has any chance. This belief is time and again underscored. It has therefore deprived the Sthanakavasis and Terapanthis of the heritage of Jain literature other than the canonical. They have nothing to do with the Jaina art or sculpture or places of pilgrimage. On the contrary, a deliberate attempt is made to go back to Jaimism as it was in the early past. This is as good as reversing the flow of Ganges in the opposite direction. The belief that nothing new should be and can be done lies at the root of such a reactionary attitude as also a conviction that a man's intellect cannot have a free play in matters-philosophical and religious. But must be admitted that this goes against the goal of spiritual self-sufficiency as as proclaimed by Jainism.
Jainism
Recently, yet a new school has been started by Kanji Swami. Really speaking, its source is Sthanakawasi sect of the Jainas, though it radically differs from the sister sǝct named Terapanthi which also claims to be an offshoot of the Sthānakavāsi sect. It is stated by both these sects that they do not want to digress from the main spring. But in one of the two, the Moreconcept of the idol has a distinct place while in the other it has not. over, one owes its allegience to ths Svetambara section of the Jainas and the other calls itself Digambara. According to the section, founded by Kanji Swami, a greater emphasis is to be placed on the noumenal view-point technically called Niścaya Naya, thus ruling out the theory of endeavour so well laid down in Jainism proper. On one hand, it enjoins to adopt meditation as the only means to realization of the soul and to banish all the ceremonies, rituals and rites, while on the other, it has also enjoined to start building temples in which to instal the idol of Shri Simandhara Svāni. Thus, new sets of traditions, rites, ritualism, and ceremonies have come into existence and operation, baring the contradiction.
(In Gujarti, Prabuddha Jivan, Dated 1st and 15th December, 1956 and dated 15th March, 1st April and 15th April, 19:7).