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JAINISM
IN TAMILNAD
S. Gajpathi Thiruppahamoor,
ON THE AGE OF JAJNISM IN TAMILNAD
Dhammo varthusahavo khamadi bhavo ya dasaviho dhammo Rayanattyam ca dhammo jivanam rakkhanam Dhammo
Dharma means nature of substance and that is same as the ten virtues (supreme forbearance, modesty, etc.) the three gems (right belief, right knowledge and right conduct) and non-violence.
Sri Mylai Seeni Venkatasami in his book "Samanarum Tamilum (Jainism and Tamil literature) writes that Lord Krishna sent 18 velirs to the Tamil coun. try and that they established Jainism in South India. He has also mentioned that from the Buddhist work Mahavamsa it is learnt that Jainism was a prominent religion in Ceylon before the 4th century B.C. It also adds that Pandukabayau who ruled over Ceylon from 377 to 307 B.C. arranged for the construction of monastaries for Jain monks at Anuradhapuram
These are the true characteristics of the pure self. Thus the term Dharma particularly refers to the nature of the soul substance. It is because that the selves only possess knowledge and in the absence of knowledge the whole universe will remain unknown and that state of the universe is as good as its non-existence.
Whether, Jainism the science of nature, was taught in the land of the Tamils by the omniscient Jinas personally or the Jaina ascetics, the torch bearers is the question.
Tradition claims the Lord Rishabha, the first Thirthank ara (provider of the vessel to cross the ocean of Samsara or the cycle of births and deaths) also known as Adi Bhagwan, Adinatha etc., propo. unded Dharma all over Bharat and princes from the Tamil country too were stated to be present in his Samavasarana (preaching hall). Jaina Harivamsa Purana written by Jinasenacharya I mentions Lord Neminatha, a cousin of Lord Krishna, visited Southern Madhura and that only there that the Pandvas took up to asceticism under him.
Sri S. Padmanabhan in his book The Forgotten History of The Land's End writes that presumably the Jaina monks who were in Ceylon migrated from India through Kanyakumari, to the south of which was a large mass of land. subsequently swallowed by sea. The facts that the Jaina doctrines do not allow the monks to cross the sea must be remembered here.
All these are quite probable because that without existence of a stronghold of Jainism in Tamil Nad, and that it takes a long time for a place to become a stronghold of any one faith, Srutakevali Bhadrabahu would not have ventured to send the Sangha of 1200 monks under Visakacharya to the Pandya kingdom in near about 300 B.C. This event of course is admit. ted as an historical fact.
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Rajendra-Jyoti
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