Science And Jain Philosophy

Author(s): Raksha J Shah, Abhijit Muni, Pooja Banthia
Publisher: International Conference on Science and Jain Philosophy

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HISTORY OF JAINISMAN OVERVIEW
DR. HEMALI SANGHAVI hemalisang@yahoo.com
Dr.Hemali Sanghavi is the Head of Department of History at K.J.Somaiya College. She is the recipient of Bharat Jyoti Award for her contribution in the field of education.
Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism together constitute the cultural heritage of India. Jainism is both a system of philosophy and a way of life. It is one of India's most ancient Graman religious traditions. The origins of Jainism lie far back in prehistory. Some of the relics discovered from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa point out Jainism as a pre-Vedic religion. Rig Veda refers to the hymns referring to the first Jain Tirthaņkara Rishabhdeu. It is said that the traditional name for India, Bharat, has been derived from thatof Risabhdeu's son. The twenty-second Tirthaņkara Neminath was contemporary and cousin of Krishna. Parsvanath the twenty-third Tirthaņkara preached four vows in the eighth century B.C.
The period of twenty-fourth Tirthaņkara Mahavira (599-527 B.C.) is important in the history of India because it brought about significant changes in religious, social and economic spheres. Mahavira attracted a number of people, both men and women to be his disciples. He taught his followers to observe penances and live a life of restraint in all possible ways. Rich bankers, merchants, kings, queens and ministers became the followers of Mahavira. It is from 527B.C., the date of nirvana of Mahavira that Jains count the Vira nirvana era. It is the longest continuous era in Indian history. It starts 470 years before the Vikram era.
Jainism was dominant in Magadha during the reign of the Nandas (364-324 B.C.) and the Mauryas. Chandragupta Maurya the founder of Maurya dynasty (324-300 B.C.) at the end of his reign accepted Jainism. Later Samprati, the grandson of Asoka propagated Jainism in the country. It was after 500 B.C. that Jains via Mathura begun their migration towards the Western part of India, where they settled and where they have remained concentrated to the present day.
In course of time Jainism spread to different parts of India and received royal patronage. The period from the eighth to twelfth centuries was a golden time in the history of Jainism. It attracted a large number of followers. Jain scholars enriched the different languages by their works. Dynasties such as Kadamba, Ganga, Chalukya, Western Chalukya, Rashtrakutas, Hoyshalas and Kalchuris patronised Jainism in varying degrees. Jains have contributed to the development of art and architecture, sculpture and painting from very early times in the history of Indian art. Jainism made a striking progress under the rule of the Rajput rulers in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh from the eighth century onwards.
During the medieval period Jainism made contribution to the success of Vijayanagar empire. The Jain teachers impressed the Mughal teachers by their teachings. The
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