Jainism Some Essays

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

Page 70

Hindu Religion and Jaina Religion
[ 63 parision with those of the Vedic and Buddhistic systems. This secured a rightful place for the Jain Metaphysics and Philosophy in the Bharatiya systems.
Non-idolatrous Schools and Sects
In course of time, in both these sects-Śvetambara and Digambara-the worship of the idol of the Tirthankara had started and so far as the laymen were concerned, it had become the main item of their religious activities. Due to the Bhakti cult as preached by the Vaisnavas, worship of the idol was done with great pomp and fanfare. This had a concommitant effect on the Jaina style of idol-worship. The excess of pomposity in idolworship reached a stage when it became a nuisance in the achievement of tranquility of mind which was the very essence of Jainism. Just at this time the impact of the Muslim religion which is hostile to idol worship, due also to the Muslim rule, grew into intensity and it did not leave the Jaina religion also uninfluenced. As an inevitable corollary to this, the new sub-sects Sthanakavasi in the Svetambara section and Tarana panthi in the Digambara section arose and both of them rejected the idolworship of the Tirthankara. And the last sect is the Terapanth which came out of the Sthanakavasi sect.