________________
100
Study of Jainism
EPILOGUE - III
Digambara and Svetambara sects :
There are two main sections called Digambara and Svetambara among the Jainas. Each has its sub-divisions. The distinctions forming the sub-divisions among the two sects have been mainly due to sociological forces arising out of the exigencies of time and procedural and ritualistic differences, like the worship of the images of tirthankaras and the use of materials like the flowers during worship.
There has been a vigorous controversy regarding the antiquity of the two sects, each claiming to the earliest and the original sect following the true traditions of the teachings of the tirthankara.
Digambaras claim that the schism betwecn the two sects developed at the time of Srutakēvali Bhadrabahu, the last pontifical head before the Ācarya tradition developed. He came to Sravaņabelagola in Karnataka. He was accompanied by Candragupta Mourya. He practised Sallekhana on the mount Candragiri in Sravanabelagola in 297 B.C.1 Those who remained in the North were to form the Svetambara sect. But the Svetambara tradition claims that Bhadrabahu went to Nepal and remained there engaged in deep meditation. Sthūlabhadra and some other monks went to him to learn from him Destivada. The controversy is more concerned with the historical setting and it does not in any way affect the ideological problems, because there are no differences in the development of the philosophical concepts of Jainism in the two sects. The differences are superficial affecting the fringe of the ideas and the ritualistic and proceedural practices. Certain minor differences not vitally related to the philosophical concept may be mentioned as instances :
i) The Digambaras believe that the original canonical texts have not come down in their original form. But, the S'vetambaras maintain that the Canons have been preserved in their original form.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
