Jains in India and Abroad

Author(s): Prakash C Jain
Publisher: International Summer School for Jain Studies

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Rajchandra. Gandhi's stance towards equality of women, emancipation of the lower castes, Satyagraha (truth struggle) was rooted in Rajchandra's guidance” (Jain 2007: 23). Shrimad Rajchandra has a small following in Gujrat, U.K. and the U.S.
Kanji Swamy Panth During the past few decades, a new sub-sect called Kanji Swamy Panth (KSP) in Digambara Jainism has emerged which is known after its founder Kanji Swamy. A Sthankavasi by birth, Kanji Swami who was based in the town of Sonagarh in Gujarat reinterpreted the first century Digambara Jain sacred text Samayasara written by Acharya Kundkund in a manner and perspective that gives more prominence to Nischaya-Naya (realistic/essential standpoint) than to Vyavaharanaya (practical standpoint). The nischaya-naya lays emphasis on understanding and contemplating on the true nature of the soul with a view of its purification, whereas the vyavahar-naya considered to be a temporary or transitory view-point helps us in adjusting with the practical issues in life. Emphasizing the former the Kanji-Panth obviously wants to minimize the religious rituals in Jainism. The Panth is also not favourable to nudity in Jainism. It is therefore more popular with the educated class and the diasporic community, and its influence has been steadily increasing. However, another scholarly opinion is that "the poorer and lower caste Digambars tend to support the KSP” (Jain, R. K. 1999: 117). In any case, the Kanji Panth has created a sharp division within the Digambara Jain community in north and central India (Jain, Neeraj 2010) The critics believe that it violates the doctrine of Anekantavada – in this context the preference of one naya at the expense of the other (See section on Jain Epistemology in Chapter 2). Besides Sonagarh, Jaipur and Mumbai are the major centres of Kanji-Panth.
Shvetambar Sub-Sects Like Digambara the Shvetambara Jainism too is divided into three major sub-sects, namely Murtipujak, Sthanakavasi and Terapanth. These are briefly discussed below.
Murtipujak Murtipujakas (idol worshippers, also known as Dera-vasi or Chaityavasi (temple residents), Mandir-margi (temple goers), or Pujera
Jains in India and Abroad