Studies in South Indian Jainism

Author(s): M S Ramaswami Ayyangar, B Seshagiri Rao
Publisher: M S Ramaswami Ayyangar

Page 21

ORIGIN OF JAINISM. 'scholars, the prejudice that, because the two sects have so much in common, one should have branched off from the other. It is beyond the scope and aim of this work to enter into 'an examination of the various theories propounded in connection with the origin of Jainism. But we shall briefly indicate the opinions arrived at by Jacobi to whose researches, enthusiastically assisted by Drs. Bühler and Hornle, Jainism, owes its rehabilitation as one of the earliest of home religions in India. We may consider Prof. Weber and Prof. Lassen as representing those who attacked the theory of the higher antiquity of the Jain sect, mainly on the ground of certain important coincidences in the tradition of either sect regarding its founder. Prof. Weber in his learned treatise (Indische Viewe
of Weber Studien XVI, 26) writes that, even admitting and Lassen that the Buddha and Mahāvīra were contemporaries, he still regards the Jains" merely as one of the oldest sects of Buddhism." Relying too much on " the tradition of the origin of its founder having made use of another person than Buddha Sakhyamuni," he boldly suggests “ that the Jaiņas had intentionally disowned Buddha,” the animosity of the, sect being so great as to
drive them out of the pale of Buddhism. But - the chief argument, in support of his theory rests
on the coincidences which are numerous and important in the traditions of the sects regarding their founders. Prof. Lassen 2 also adheres to
1 Jacobi, Introduction to Jaina ? Indische alterthumskunde Sutras, pp. xvii & xix.
IV, p. 763 Slg.
cxamined.