Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): D C Sirkar
Publisher: University of Calcutta

Page 22

L. B. KENY
13
It is quite probable that Pārsvanātha belonged to the tribe of the Nāgas. The worship of the nāgas is popular with a number of Indian tribes like the Bhils and Mundas. Evidences of fights between the Aryans and the Nāgas and instances of their marriages with each other are well known in ancient Indian literature. It is also a well-known fact that the Aryans offered the Nāgas in sacrifices, burning them alive. It appears that these Nāgas were people whose tribal mark was the serpent. 3 Marks like the crab, tortoise, conch-shell, etc.. are associated with various tribes and they reflect the environment of the people from whose tribal groups the Tirtha nkara hailed.*
According to the Jain tradition Mahāvira was enlightened while seating under the Asoka tree. The association of a tree with a Jain Tirthankara reflects the sanctity of trees among the tribal people like the Oraon, Birhor, Munda and Gond.
The worship of funeral structures was an essential part of Jainism.This tradition is pre-Aryan and non- \ryan. To some extent, the worship of the dead and the later practice of the Srāddha offering for the salvation of the souls of ancestors indicate the tribal worship of the dead. Jainism seems to have adopted this primitive custom of the tribals.
The philosophy of Jainism gives a due place to the Yakşas or spirits, both wicked and kind. These are characteristics of the cult of primitive tribes.
The above evidences indicate the impact of primitive ideas on Jainism.** There is a probability of a better historical assessment of the Jain traditions and legends with the help of anthropologists and archaeologists.
3 Cf. Guseva, Jainism, pp. 35-36.
*[Of the Tirthařkaras, Päráva and Mahāvira are the only two historical figures and, of these two, there are many traditions about the latter. N of them, however, connects the lion, Mahāvīra's emblem, with the clan to which he belonged.Ed.]
4 Bihar through the Ages, p. 82; cf. Ghurye, The Aborigines so called and their Future.
**[None of the old religions is free from such influence.--Ed.]