Lord Mahavira and His Teachings

Author(s): Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi
Publisher: Vallabhsuri Smarak Nidhi

Page 78

Lord Mahavira and His Teachings
chintana in Jainism that we find that it is Jainas who have been almost the sole originators in literary compositions in most of our languages. Especially is this so in Kannada, the language of Karnataka; invariably the history of Kannada literature starts with a Jaina-yuga or Jaina-period. Moreover, we have a very creditable and pleasing practice amidst the Jainas to encourage production and propagation of literature through liberal grants of land and money : this is solely due to the ever-insistent tone of Jainism on tattva-chintana. Jaina-dharma, a compendium or a fairly detailed manual on Jainism, (a pioneer and laudable publication in 1952) by Annaraya Miraji has seen the light of day owing to shastra-dana of very many Jaina men and women. There have been great luminaries amidst Jainism who have contributed ably and subtly to very many chapters in the history of Indian philosophy. Mention may be made here of the distinctive and able elaboration of the doctrine of Karma in Jaina metaphysics.
Such seem to be the salient features of Jainism as a distinct tradition stretching its roots into the dim past of our country's history. We shall now turn to note how Jainism, through its distinctive features, has contributed to the formation of Bharatiya samskriti through its influence and modification of the other elements equally and simultaneously present therein.
The typical Jaina nivrutti attitude to life, exemplified in nirgrantha sampradaya, has been very largely responsible for sobering down and modifying the Vedic-Brahmanic pravrutti attitude. Samsara or