Jainism Some Essays

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

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Jainism
with some distinguished personage but really speaking, its roots lie deeper than that even. Even if they are not found in the contemporary conditions, they will definitely be met with elsewhere. He will be considered one of the promoter who having caught hold of the roots and having removed accretions and crusts points a finger at it. If we adopt this line of thinking, the available Jaina canonical works belong to a post-Mahāvīra period. We have no literature that can be called belonging to pre-Mahāvira times. Therefore, whatever indications referring to the condition of pre-Mahāvira Jainism are there, they are there in those po st-Mabāvira canonical works.
The beginning of Jainism, just as that of Hinduism is not known. Let us, therefore, leave that aside and try to get information about the ordiniry matters relating to Jainism from the post-Mahāvira Jaina canonical works,
Non-injury and Renunciation
It is clear that the weightage attached to Truth is not assigned to Non-injury in the same degree and intensity during the period till the Mahābhārata of Hindu religion. This holds good in the case of possessionlessness and chastity even. Upanisadic sages also do not seem to be believing in Non-possession. The stories describing non-chastity of the sages are not wanting. No criticism of the flagrant breach of character is found in the religious works of that period. While, as a matter of fact, celibacy has been accepted as a way of life till the last moment in the stage of Sanyasa (Renunciation). It has been said about the Brāhmins that it was they to whom Brahma, having created this universe, handed it over. It was because of their weakness that the others have usurped the right of ownership. Therefore, it is no theft even if the Brāhmins take away what is not properly given to them. On the contrary, it is like this that they are only arrogating to them. selves what properly and originally belongs to them. Thus, it is seen that the Hindu religion of yore has underscored Truth only amongst the five vows. But contrary to this, the principle of Non-injury only has received the greatest recognition in Jainism as a religious principle according to the available history of Jainism and the remaining four have been deduced as the necessary corollaries of the first and the greatest vow called Non-injury. It has also been enjoined in it that all the five vows in which Non-injury is the first and foremost should be observed with equal and uniform care. It is not that the vow of renunciation should be undertaken and practised in the last stage only. It can be accepted at a time when religion is properly understood and the power to maintain it has been cultivated. It is because of this that resunciation undertaken when one is young and youthful has been specially appreciated and admired.