Rajendrasuri Janma Sardh Shatabdi Granth

Author(s): Premsinh Rathod
Publisher: Rajendrasuri Jain Navyuvak Parishad Mohankheda

Page 626

The records of the Buddhists and Jainas about the philosophical ideas of those days are of great importance to the historian of religions. The similarity between some of those heretical doctrines on the one side, and Jaina or Buddhist ideas on the other, favours the assumption that the Buddha as well as Mahavira owed some of their conceptions to these very heretics. Contribution to the development of Languages :
The Jainas have played a very important role in the linguistic development of the country. Sanskrit has all along been the medium of sacred writings and preachings of the Brahmanas and Pali that of the Buddhists. But the Jainas utilised the prevailing language of the area for religious purposes. Thus they developed Prakrit and other regional languages.
of late rich literature produced by the Jainas came to light. The literature in Apabhramsa is worth mentioning. This language is a link between the Sanskrit, Prakrit, the classical languages on the one hand and modern Indian languages on the other. It is surprising to note that the earliest literature in Kannada and Tamil is also of Jaina authorship Jaina Ethics :
Contribution of Jaina ethics to Indian ethical theories is also note worthy. It is different from the Bhakti Marga of the Bhagvatas, Jnana Marga of the Vedantins and Karma Marga of the Mimamsakas. Jainism holds that all the three must coexist in a person, if he is to walk along the path of salvation. Taking the analogy of medicine, faith in its efficacy, knowledge of its use, and the actual taking of the medicine. All these three are essential to effect a cure. Similarly the suffering soul can be cured by Ratnatraya, the three principles of Right faith, Right knowledge and Right conduct. The doctrine of Ahimsa though found in the epics, was preached on extensive scale, by the Jainas and Buddhists. Ahimsa must be observed both by the saints and the laymen according to Jainas and Buddhists, where as in classical Hindu tradition it was meant only for the Sanyasis.
In metaphysics there is some general likeness between Sankhya and yoga on the one hand and Jainism on the other. Dualism of matter and Soulis accepted by all these systems. Souls are like substances like Monads and they are characterised by intelligence. The actual difference between the souls is caused by their connection with the matter. Jainas and Sankhyas believe matter to be of indefinite nature and it can become anything.
The summarise Jaina philosophy the living and the non-living, by coming into contact with each other forge certain energies which bring about birth, death and various experiences of life. This process could be stopped and energies already forged destroyed by a course of discipline leading to salvation. A close analysis leads to 7 propositions : 1. There is something called living, 2. Something called non-living, 3. the two come into contact with each other, 4. The contact leads to production, 5. This process of contact could be stopped, 6. The existing energies could be exhausted, 7. The salvation could be achieved.
Those seven propositions are called seven tattvas or realities by the Jainas. “The first two great truths are that there is a jiva or soul and that there is an ajiva or non-soul. These two exhaust between them all that exists in the Universe. Contribution to Literature :
The contribution of the Jainas to Sanskrit and other Indian languages is noteworthy. Dr. Winterniz says that there was a close connection between Jaina and post Vedic literature. The story of Jajali and Tuladhara (M. bh. XXII, 261-64) the fable of the Hunter and the pigeons (M. bh XXII, 143-49) and the legend of Mudgala in Mahabharata (V, 23-40) indicate this close relation
Prof. Hertel has shown that their contribution to narrative and story literature is much. He says that the Jainas have preserved much of Indian tales that otherwise would have been lost to use. They have also compiled great collection of tales. Kathakosa by Subhasilagani, Kathankakosa by Jinesvara, Kathamahodadhi by Somachandra (1448 AD) Katharatnakara by Hema Vijaya (1600 A.D.) are some of them.
Metaphysics :
The tenets of Jainism are not always casy to grasp mainly due to two reasons. Firstly on account of our relative unfamiliarity with the ancient background and secondly on account of highly complex and perplexing system of innumerable divisions and sub divisions in the Jaina order.
3. Jaina contribution to Indian Literature, Winter
nitz, p. 6. 4. Ibid, p. 10 See also the literature of the Svetam
baras of Gujarat, Prof. Hertel (1922)
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Rajendra-Jyoti
Jain Education Intemational