Jainism Some Essays

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

Page 68

Hindu Religion and Jaina Religion
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to renumrete them all. Here, we should refer in brief, only to highly influential sects worthy of evaluation. The two principal sects amongst these arethe Svetāmbara and the Digambara. The main difference of opinion here is with regard to clothes.
Svetămbara and Digambara For centuries, scholars have been discussing as to which of these two sects is earlier and which follows the original path carved by Bhagavān. Let us consider the problem on the basis of the Ariga literature that is preserved and considered to be earlier than the beginning of the christian era. One clear fact is that Bhagavân Mabāvira was Anekāntavādi; he put on no clothes There is yet no reason to believe that his Šramaņa Sangha consisted only of clotheless Bhikşus. Those who could not live without clothes on were permitted use of limited clothes. Again, when the Sramanas wbo followed i ārsva took to spiritual initiation before Mahavira, they were asked to accept the five Maha Vratas. Here however, there is no reference to change of clothes. But it is proved through Scriptures that they were living with clothes on. Even in the ancient Satkhanda Agama of the Digambaras, fourteen zuņasthānas are accepted with reference to woman. We can therefore assume as quite late, the view of the Digambara Ācāryas that wom n cannot win liberation. This is precisely the reason why Dhavala, a commentary of the ninth century, experienced difficulty in interpreting the original Agamas. Again, moderns found it proper to change the reading itself! These facts are sufficient to prove one thing. In course of time, when bot'i the unavoidability of clothes and total abandonment of clothes found support in the views of Bhagavān Mahāira, the mental affinity between the two must have grown lesser and lesser. This must have led to separation of the two sects. It is not difficult here to understand that the Digambara sect separates itself from the original path when it states that the original scriptures are lost, and not that these scriptures are well-preserved. It may be true that there is no intensity of external conduct [bāhya acāra) with the Svetāmbaras. It is yet a fact that they have, at all cost, preserved even those Scriptures that are against their own beliefs. This very fact keeps them closely associated with the original current of thought It is true that they resorted to Scriplures and worldly conduct both, in order to nourish their own conduct (Acāra). Still, they atleast did not state, like the Digambaras, that they did not accept the sacred Scriptures themselves! It should also be conceded that even though they added exceptions at will in the commentaries, they definitely made all efforts to preserve and keep in fact the original readings of the Scriptures. The svetā mbaras never tried consciously to delete from the Scriptures, what did not suit them. Even in the original Anga-Agamas,