Keynote Address of Dr Sagarmal Jain at Calcutta

Author(s): Mahadeolal Saraogi
Publisher: Mahadeolal Saraogi

Page 15

Jainism and
shall be
Jainism and Buddhism were more candid and uncompromising in their opposition towards Vedic ritualism. They rejected outright animal sacrifice in Yajnas, birthbased caste-system and on the infallibility of the Vedas. In the form of Mahavira and Buddha, the most prominent rationalist preachers, we found the real crusaders, whose tirade against casteridden and ritualistic Brahminism, which touching ever low water mark and crumpling with its inner inadequacies, gave severe jolt to it. Buddhism came forward to sweep away the long accumulated excrescences grown on Indian sound Culture in the form of rituals, casteism and supersitions. But we mistaken if we presume that in their attempt to clear off the dirt of Vedic ritualism, Jainism and Buddhism remained intact. They were also influenced by Vedic rituals considerably. Ritualism in the new form of Tantrick rituals crept into Jainism and Buddhism and became part and parcel of their religious practices and mode of worship. With the impact of Hindu Tantrism, Jains adopted various Hindu deities and their mode of worship with some variation, which suits to their religious temperament and were alien to it in its pure form. Jaina concept of Sasan Devatas or YaksaYaksis is nothing but only a Jain version of Hindu deities. As I have pointed out earlier, the influence has been reciprocal. This can be discerned from the fact that on one side Hinduism, accepted Rsabha and Buddha Incarnation of God, while, on the other, Jainism included Rama and Krishna in its list of Salaka Purusas. A number of Hindu Gods and Goddess were accepted as consorts of Tirthamkaras such as Saraswati, Laksmi, Kali, Mahakali, Chakreshwari, Ambika, Padmavati
However,
and Siddhika.
The moot point, I intent to come to is that different
- 9 -