Studies in Jainism

Author(s): Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta

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STUDIES IN JAINISM line of demarcation between the high and the low families. But, thereby it does not permit a person born in a high family to be puffed up with pride and despise those born in a low family. For, such an attitude is deprecated in unequivocal terms in the Jaina Agamas, e.g. in Sūtraktānga (1.13; 10,11,15,16). As an illustration, it will suffice to refer to the incident in the life of the Marici, who, by praising his family to the skies, amalgamated the nicagotra-karman.26
ono uelou aanyayana
:
Jaina saints and low families
It may be added en passant that a Jaina saint is not debarred from accepting alms even from a low family. This is borne out by Uttarādhyayanasūtra (xii, 15) and Daśavaikālikasūtra (V. i. 14; V. 2. 25; VIII. 23). As an additional proof it may be stated that in the 16th ad of Jñātādharmakathānga, Dharmaruci, pupil of Dharmaghoșa, is referred to as going to all families high, low and middle, for alms. In Upāsakadaśānga, the 7th arga, we find a similar fact noted in the case of Indrabhūti Gautama, the first disciple of Lord Mahāvīra. This will show that Jainism lays stress upon the purity of alms and not upon the status of an individual from whom alms is to be accepted.
Furthermore, that a birth in a low family is not by itself a stumbling block for spiritual evolution is a clear verdict of Jainism, a fact on which the 12th and the 13th adhyayanas of Uttarādhyayanasūtra throw flood of light. For, therein we distinctly notice the spiritual rise of Harikeśa-bala and Caitra, in spite of their birth in a family of Švapākas (Candāla). Even an Antyaja is fully respected in Jainism, if adorned with a vidyā (lore). This will be clear by studying the narrative of king Śreņika who made an Antyaja sit on him royal throne,27 while learning the vidyā from him.
26. For details see Trişaștiśalākāpuruşacaritra (I.5. v. 370ff.) or
G.O.S. (No. LI. pp. 352-353). 27. This will suggest that there is no room for untouchability in
Jainism. This fact is beautifully stated by Malayagiri Sūri, while commenting upon Nandisūtra (p. 172) as under :"यद्यपि चोक्तं 'चाण्डालस्पर्शदोषः प्राप्नोतीति, तदपि चेननाविकलपुरुषभाषितमिवासमीचीनं, स्पर्शास्पर्शव्यवस्थाया लोके काल्पनिकत्वात् । तथाहि स्पर्शव्यवस्था न पारमार्थिकी।"