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Vol XXII, 1998
IMPACT OF JAINISTIC PERCEPTIONS ON SOCIETY
89
revolted against this attitude and promoted the concept of equality of sexes, status and potency of women along with regulated marriage and see through the minor vow of celibacy He placed them in two cadres of nuns and vetaresses in his four-fold order whose strengths were nearly double the cadres of men There have been many llustrious women in Jaina order for promotion of Jaina culture and literature The Jaina nun-system has been and is very influential even today for preserving the Jinistic practices They are promoting Jaina ideology even abroad in different countries Mahāvīra was very far sighted on the issues of women and we are experiencing it in current times when they are holding positions of heads of Govt, administrators in civil, police and even in defence services along with other fields including politics The case of 33-50% reservation is also pending indicating the current state of thinking about the status of women The concept and practice of equality of sexes has effected the women in more than one way While they have their duties of morality-based procreation, they hold their nghts for equality in personal and social spheres This morality of sex has resulted in least sexual offences and lesser population growth among the Jainas This inbred concept is now felt necessary in the days of AIDS by modern women society with alleviated their major physical and psychological problems Besides marriage, there have been many associated problems in the past like remarriage, widow marriage and in the present the Sati tradition, divorce and abortion The west had no such problems as it did not give much value to th morality of sex, though it attaches sacredness to the marriage However, the conservative east did rule against these issues It is only during the last 150 years that the women folk has risen from their slumber and have started utilising Mahāvīran concept of equality of sexes Now, Satı burning is resisted tooth and nail and legally also the other issues are also moving in affirmative direction One remembers the days when advocates of such issues were insulted by the society However, the days have changed stealthily The tuning in women problems is being effected with respect to the changing times and conditions as per Mahāvīram dictums It is not only the pre-creative issues which attracted the attention of Mahāvīra He also took up the case of education and leadership potency of women He had a large number of women disciples who were proficient in canons and conducts His chief nun was Candanabālā The women of today are being educated in different fields and they are taking leadership in many specialised
