Jainism in North India

Author(s): Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London

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INTRODUCTION
nr all Indological studies Jainism has been particularly un
fortunate in that thic little that is done for it stands in vivid contrast with the vast undone. Even Buddhism, a veritable sister of Jainism in point of contemporaneous glory as well as rivalry, has not, as is borne out by many an evidence, lacked its due from the scholar-world. This indifference towards Jainism becomes all the more unmerited when we look at the other side of the shield; for Buddhism has practically disappeared from India, whereas the Jaina community not merely exists but wields a considerable influence over the political and economical destinies of this vast country. Although as Mrs Stevenson has observed : "It is no longer in any sense a court religion, nevertheless the influence that it wields in India to-day is enormous. Its great wealth and its position as the religion par excellence of moneylenders and bankers makes it, especially in native states, the power behind the throne; and if anyone doubts its influence, he need only count up the number of edicts prohibiting the slaying of animals on Jaina sacred days that have recently been issued by the rulers of the independent states "3 The Jamnas "form, in fact, a very large and, from their wealth and influence, a most important division of the population of India." 4
Hertel is certainly right when he says that“ Amongst European scholars there are comparatively fet persons who realize the full importance of Jainism, and the mighty influence which it was, and is, exercising on Indian civilization, especially on Indian religion
1 The word Jainism is derived from far, the adjectival form from Art, a way common to the names of many other regions as well as systems of philosophy-eg. Mahommedanisin from Mahommedan, Cliristianity from Christian, Zoroastrianism from Zoroastrian, and so forth (but not Buddhism, Manusm or Benthamısm), or again, Dvaitism or Advantısm from nora, Fatalism from fatal, and so on
Ch Jainu, Outlines of Jaimsm, p. 73 • Stevenson (Mrs), The Heart of Jainism, p 19 Works of Tilson, 1, p 347.
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