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PRABUDDH JEEVAN
JULY 2016
VARIOUS SECTS OF JAIN TRADITION
ENLIGHTEN YOURSELF BY SELF STUDY OF JAINOLOGY
LESSON - THIRTEEN
O DR. KAMINI GOGRI Traditionally, the original doctrine of Jainism was of the Jain Agama compiled by Sthulabhadra. They contained in scriptures called Purva. There were believe that by the time of Dharasena, the twenty-third fourteen Purvas. There was a twelve-year famine teacher after Gandhar Gautama, knowledge of only two centuries after the death of Mahavira, the last one Anga was there. This was about 683 years after Jain tirthankara. At that time, Chandragupta the death of Mahavira. After Dharasena's pupils Maurya was the ruler of Magadha and Bhadrabahu was Puspadanta and Bhutabali, even that was lost. the head of Jain community. Bhadrabahu went south According to Digambara tradition, Mahavira, the to Karnataka with his adherents and Sthulabhadra, last Jaina Tirthankara, never married. He renounced another Jain leader remained behind. During this time the world at the age of thirty after taking permission of the knowledge of the doctrine was getting lost. A council his parents. The Digambaras believe that after attaining was formed at Pataliputra where eleven scriptures enlightenment, Mahavira was free from human called Angas were compiled and the remnant of activities like hunger, thirst, and sleep. Monks in the fourteen purvas was written down in 12th Anga, Digambara tradition do not wear any clothes. They Ditthivaya by the adherents of Sthulabhadra. When carry only a broom made up of fallen peacock feathers followers of Bhadrabahu returned, there was a dispute and a water gourd. One of the most important scholarbetween them regarding the authenticity of the Angas. monks of Digambara tradition was Acharya Also, those who stayed at Magadha started wearing Kundakunda. He authored Prakrit texts such as white clothes which was unacceptable to the other who Samayasara and Pravachansara. Samantabhadra and remain naked. This is how the Digambara and Siddhasena Divakara were other important monks of Svetambara sect came about. The Digambara being this tradition. The Digambaras are few in number and the naked ones where as Svetambara being the white are present mainly in southern India. The oldest clothed. According to Digambara, the purvas and the scripture that the digambara sect of Jainism believes angas were lost. In course of time, the cannons of is the Shatkhand-agama and Kasay pahuda. Digambar svetambara were also getting lost. About 980 to 993 tradition is divided into two main orders Mula Sangh and years after the death of Mahavira, a Vallabhi the Kashtha Sangh. Among the prominent council was held at Vallabhi (now in Guajrat). This was Digambara Acharyas today are Acharya Vidyasagar, headed by Devardhi Ksamashramana. It was found that Acharya Vardhman sagar, Acharya Vidyanand, the 12th Anga, the Ditthivaya, was lost too. The other Acharya Pushpadant, Acharya Devanand and Angas were written down. This is a traditional account Acharya Abhinandan Sagar of schism. According to Svetambara, there were eight Subsects schisms (Nihvana).
Mula Sangh is an ancient monastic order. Mula According to Digambara tradition, Gandhara knew literally means root or original. The great fourteen Purva and eleven Anga. Knowledge of Purva Acharya Kundakunda is associated with Mula Sangh. was lost around 436 years after Mahavira and Anga The oldest known mention of Mula Sangh is from 430 were lost around 683 years after Mahavira. The texts CE. Mula Sangh was divided into few branches. which do not belong to Anga are called Angabahyas. According to Shrutavatara and Nitisar of Bhattaraka Indranandi, There were fourteen Angabahyas. The first four Anga Acharya Arhadbali had organised a council of Jain bahayas, Samayika, Chaturvimasvika, Vandana monks, and had given names (gana or sangha) to and Pratikramana correspond to sections of different groups. The four major groups were Nandi second Mulasutra of svetambara. The only texts of Gana, Sena Gana, Deva Gana and Simha Gana. The anga bahyas which occurs in svetambara texts are Bhattarakas of Shravanabelagola, Mudabidri and Humaj belongs Dasavaikalika, Uttaradhyayana and Kalpavyavahara.z to the Nandi Gana.
Digambara is one of the two main sects Kashtha Sangha was a monastic order once of Jainism. This sect of Jainism rejects the authority dominant in several regions of North and Western India.
