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Mahāvratas. It may be noted here that Mahāvīra gave utmost importance to the practice of Dhyāna, since it is directly related to the actualisation of the divine potentialities.
8. According religious freedom to women and downtrodden people:
Mahāvīra gave complete religious freedom to women. They were allowed to accept the life of asceticism like men. Mahāvīra himself initiated Candanā into the ascetic order. In the Samgha of Mahāvīra 36000 Sādhvīs were following religious observances. We hear of large number of women in the history of Jainas who distinguished themselves as teachers and preachers. "The followers of Jaina religion have been divided into four categories, viz., Sādhus, Sādhvīs, Śrāvakas and Śrāvikās. Sādhvīs are female ascetics who follow the five great vows in a very strict manner. This shows that complete freedom was given to women to enter the ascetic order. Female sex was no bar to the practice of asceticism. The Jaina Ācāryas were extremely sympathetic is their attitude to women and admitted them freely into their order, no matter whether the candidates for admission were royal consorts, members of the aristocracy, and women belonging to the common run of society." 60
Religious freedom given to women enhanced their prestige in society. They were imparted education like men." The first Tīrthankara, Rşabhadeva realised the utmost importance of imparting education to females and advised his two young daughters, Brāhmi and Sundarī that "only when you would adorn yourself with education, your life would be fruitful, because just as a learned man is held in high esteem by educated persons, a learned lady also occupies the highest position in the female world. Both the girls were first initiated to writing by their father and later on with the help of teachers
Spiritual Awakening (Samyagdarśana) and Other Essays
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