Sudha Sagar Hindi English Jaina Dictionary

Author(s): Rameshchandra Jain
Publisher: Gyansagar Vagarth Vimarsh Kendra Byavar

Page 255

(236) idol-worship, ban on caste distinctions their mouths with strips of cloth for all and removal of outward religious prac- the time and they do not use the cloth tices were evolved as a revolt against of yellow or any other colour (of course, the religious practices and beliefs then
except white). The Stha nakavasis prevailing in the Digambara Jain Church
arose not directly from the Svetā mbaras andit appears that Taranasvāmi might
but as reformers of an older reforming have formulated these principles under
sect, viz, Lonkā sect. The Lonkā sect the direct influence of Islamic doc
was founded in about 1474 A.D. by trines and teachings of Lokā saba, the
Lonkā saba, a rich and well read merfounder of non-idolatrous sub-sect
chant of Ahmedābād, and the main among the Svetā mbaras.
principle of this sect was not to practise गुमानपन्थी तथा तोतापन्थी -
idol-worship. Later on, some of the Gumā npanthis and Totāpanthis are members of the Lonkā sectdisapproved not so important and very little is known of the lives of their ascetics, declaring about them. Gumā napantha flourished that they lived less strictly than of late in the 18th century A.D. and was
Mahāv i ra would have wished. A so called from the name of its founder
Lonkā sect layman Viraji of Sūrat, Gumāna Rāma.
received initiation as a yati and won श्वेताम्बर सम्प्रदाय -Like Digambaras,
great admiration on account of thestrictthe Svetāmbaras are also split up into ness of his life. Many people of the following sub-sects.
Lonkā sect Joined this reformer and (i) Pujerā or Murtipūjakaor Derāvāsi
they took the name of Sthā nā kavasi or Mandirmargi
(i.e. those who do not live in temples but (ii) Dhūndiyā or Bistolā or in upā sarā) whilst their enemies called Sthā nakavā si or Sadhumargi them Dhündiya (i.e. searchers. This (iii) Terā panthi.
title has grown to be quite an bonourable The original stock is now known as one). Except on the crucial point of idol mūrtipūjaka-Svetā mbaras as they are
worship, Sthā nakavā sis do not differ the thorough worshippers of idols. They much from other Svetā mbara Jainas offer fruits, flowers and saffron etc. to and nowadays they invariably call themtheir idols and adorn them with rich
selves as Svetā mbara Sthā nakavā sis. clothes and ornaments. Their ascetics cover their mouth with strip of cloth
तेरापन्थी - The foundation of while speaking, otherwise they keep Terā panth i sub-sectwas laid by Svāmi them in their hands. Again their ascet- Bhikkhanji Mahārāja in V.S. 1817.He ics have no objection to wearing yellow
was formerly a Sthā nakavāsi and clothes.
when he perceived some difference in The Sthā nakavāsis do not believe in
the religious practices of Sth ā nakavā si idol-worshipatall. Their ascetics cover
ascetics, he began to convert the people