Portrait of Jain Religion

Author(s): Narendra Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 35

(body determining), Gotra (status determining), Vedaniya (feeling producing), and Aayushya (life spanning) karmas.
The eight attributes of Siddhas are Anant gyan (infinite knowledge), Anant darshana (infinite perception), Avyabadha sukha (eternal bliss), Anant charitra (perfect conduct), Akshay stithi (immortality), Arupitra (formlessness). Aguru laghutva (formless- neither heavy nor light), and Anant Virya (infinite energy).
Spread over many centuries, the 24 Tirthankars, each in his turn, conveyed through "SHRUT" (oral or word of mouth) tradition their elaboration, interpretation and elucidation of the Jain doctrine in the context of the times and the circumstances in which they practiced and preached their religious philosophy. Very aptly it was called "SHRAMAN tradition - a tradition anchored on voluntary and totally dedicated self-discipline, self-effort, selfstudy and self-realization. The shramana tradition was set in motion by the Tirthankars establishing in their times a Jain Sangha (four-fold Jain order) comprising Sadhus, Sadhavis, Shravaks (male householders) and Shravikas (female householders).
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This turned out to be a harmoniously integrated organizational framework, which has been carried forward by renowned Acharyas as heads of respective religious congregations and learned spiritual leaders endowed with 38 attributes in the interregnum between Tirthankars, and more particularly in the last 2600 years since the time of Bhagwan Mahavir, the 24th and the last Tirthankar in the present time cycle. Post-Mahavir period has been witness to the Jain community getting divided into Digambar and Shwetamber traditions, with differences in rituals and modes of worship, as well as scriptural heritage. Even among these two sects sub-sects have developed.
Yet it is remarkable that on most basic fundamentals of Jain philosophy, there is unanimity. What seems to divide the community is far less important than what unites it in terms of Jainism's core principles. As will be elaborated in the chapter on
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A Portrait of Jain Religion