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within, and to resist dangers from without for more than two thousand years, while Buddhism, being less exacting as regards the laymen, underwent the most extraordinary evolutions and finally disappeared in the country of its origin
Another important reason for the survival of the Jaina community is its inflexible conservatism in holding fast to its original institutions and doctrines for the last so many centuries. The most important doctrines of the Jaina religion have remained practically unlatered up to this day and, although a number of the less vital rules concerning the life and practices of monks and laymen may have fallen into disuse or oblivion, there is no reason to doubt that the religious life of the Jaina community is now substantially the same as it was two thousand years ago. This strict adherence to religious prescriptions will also be evident from Jaina architecture and especially from Jaina sculpture, for the style of Jaina images has remained the same to such an extent that the Jaina images differing in age by a thousand years are almost indistinguishable in style. Thus an absolute refusal to admit changes has been considered as the strongest safeguard of the Jainas.
The royal patronage which Jainism had received during the ancient and medieval periods in different parts of the country has undoubtedly helped the struggle of the Jaina community for its survival. The Karnataka and Gujarat continued to remain as strongholds of Jainas from the ancient times because many rulers, ministers and generals of renowned merit from Karnataka and Gujaratha were of Jaina religion. Apart from Jaina rulers many non-Jaina rulers also showed sympathetic attitude towards the Jaina religion. From the edicts of Rajputana it will be seen that in compliance with the doctrines of Jainism orders were issued in some towns to stop the slaying of animals throughout the year and to suspend the revolutions of oil-mill and potter's wheel during the four months of the rainy season every year. Several inscriptions from the South reveal the keen interest taken by non-Jaina rulers in facilitating the Jainas to observe their religion. Among these the most outstanding is the stone inscription dated 1368 A. D. of the Vijayanagara monarch Bukka Raya I. When the Jainas of all districts appealed in a body for protection against their persecution by the Vaishnavas, the king after
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