Jainism and Mahavira

Author(s): Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar
Publisher: Digambar Jain Sahitya Sanskriti Sanskaran Samiti

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as the business community.
Numerically, Jainas form a very small segment of the Indian population. Approximately, 3.19 million followers, or may be a little more near about 12 millions according to the calculation of Jaina society, of this religion account for 0.48 percent of the total population as of 1981 census and thus ranked the sixth largest religious group. However, Jainas are spread over all parts of India and have contributed a lot inspite of being a small community in the economic, political, cultural, social, literal, art, architecture and spiritual fields. They also never indulged in vicious and revengeful activities. Therefore, the Jaina community has its own distinctive place in the religious and human society.
As regards the status of women in the Jaina community, we will have to go back to the period of Mahavira who made then a crucial revolt against the existing tradition and extended his solid support to uplift this very important but most neglected organ of the family where they became least powerfuland most discogarded and controlled bitterly by men in each and every sphere. Considering all these nefarious practices and alienative attitude of men towards women, Mahavira stood against these pernicious social elements and freed them from indignation for their own progress in all walks of life. Some reservations had, of course, to be observed due to the slight physical incapability of women. Hence, some special rules were prescribed for nuns. Though they used to be heads of their units as Pravartini and Ganavacchedini, similar to Acarya and Upadhyaya, they were entirely responsible to the Acaryas. Candana, Puspacula, Subrata, and other well-known nuns of long ago, are referred to in this context. Even then, the patriarchal form of the society was developed and nuns were treated as slightly inferior to monks in certain respects. This however, does not hold women as anything less than human beings who, like all souls, have the right and capability to attain salvation. SPREAD OF JAINISM,
As we have discussed earlier, Jainism had already been established as an important religion in various provinces of India before Mahavira and the Buddha began their missionary activities. During their period, Magadha, Kausala, kapilavastu, Vaisali, Pava, Mithila, Varanasi, Simhabhumi, Kausambi, Avanti, etc. were prominent Jaina Centres. After Mahavira's Parinirvana, Jainism
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