Theories Of Parinama

Author(s): Indukala H Jhaveri
Publisher: Gujarat University

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The Samkhya-Yoga and the Jaina Theories of Pariņām a
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is attested not only by the Jain Agamas* but also by the oldest Buddhist texts. Thus, the antiquity of the root-ideas of Jain philosophy may be said to date back, at least to the time of Parsva, i, e. 800 B. C.
The Jain church, as it is well-known, is divided into two sccts the Svetāmbara and the Digambara. According to Jacobio this schism originated in the second or the third century after Mahāvira’s death, although as Charpentieri says, the final divison did not take place till a later date in either 79 or 82 A. D., according to varying traditions. There are however no essential dog. matic differences between the two sects though, as we shall see, there prevails a divergence of view about the existence of the original Jain canon.
Jain Sources
Before proceeding to study the concept of Pariņāma, as discussed in Jain works, it would be necessary to give first a brief
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References to the followers of Pārśva are to be met with in the Jain canonical works, such as the Bh.Sū. V.9.1.9., Ut. Su. XXIII. Next Mahavira's parents are said to have been followers of the tenents of Pārsva in Ācārānga--Sūtra 11-15. That Mahāvira was only a reformer of old religion is further testified by Ut. Sū. xxiii st. 12-13 wherein we are told that Pārsva enjoined on his followers four great vows. viz., not to injure life, to be truthful, not to steal, and to possess no property, while Mahavira added a fifth requisition, viz. that of chastity. Next, Parsva allowed his disciples to wear an upper and an under garment. Mahāvira, on his part, followed the more rigid rule which forbade totally the use of clothes for an ascetic. After a detailed examination of the Buddhist texts, Jacobi concludes that "as it is now here said or even merely implied that the Niganthas were a newly-founded sect, we may conclude that they had already existed a considerable time before the advent of the Buddl a". SPE, Vol. XLV, p. xii. For details of the Buddhist evidence cf. SBE. Vol. XLV, pp. xxi, xxii. xxiii. Jain Sūtras, Part I, SBE, Vol. XXII. The Uttaradhyayanasútra, Introduction, p. 15. Archives D'Etades Orientals, Vol. 18.
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