Nandanvana

Author(s): N L Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 25

Definition of Religion and Jainism : (5)
denaturation. Though the canonical age gave a new turn to ritualistic religion, it was modified and nurtured properly only in the philosophical age. This age created the concepts of heavens, salvation, and the concept of soul different from body. This age also supported the processes of austerities and meditation based on individualistic purification. Besides, many intellectualistic concepts like theory of knowledge and ford-builderism etc. were also developed. This age gave a little more general definition of religion. It was somewhat sided more with individualistic welfare along with social welfare. The author of the Sūtrakṛtānga-cūrṇi indicated the worldly as well as otherworldly prosperity as the form of religion like the Vaiseṣika". The great scholar-philosopher Samantabhadra also defined religion as one, which raises one to the position of highest bliss from the worldly displeasures. Pujyapāda Devanandi and Akalanka also defined religion as that which leads one to the cherished position". Though Pujyapada kept silence over the mention of these positions, Akalanka pointed them out clearly in classificatory terms of heavenly deities, earthly kings, and ascetics. He, however, did not mention the position of salvation in this context12. The philosophic age opened new vistas of knowledge. It is credited for moulding the human mind towards scientificity and logicism in addition to authoritarianism in the field of visible and invisible world.
Devotional Age
The intellectualism of philosophic age was not suitable to the psychology of laymen. It was too complex for them. In fact, the period posed a problem of even preserving the institution of religion as the country's political situation also took an unfavourable turn at this time. There could be no question of modifying it. This led to the concept of devotionalism and practice. Though this trend existed and has been noted in earlier times, it could not be popularised until this age. This resulted in the importance of spiritualism or inner soul and individualistic pleasure or bliss. Various forms of devotion (incantations, hymns, etc.) were developed. This period continued for about 1000 years when people had to become more religionpreservers and individualistic towards physical or spiritual progress. This resulted in an individualistic mind leading to a large contraction in scientific outlook. The social-welfaristic religion of canonical age