________________
-
The Unknown Pilgrims
The affirmation that man possesses superior power - is this claim put forward on spiritual or purely external physical grounds? Women also can give evidence of a high degree of inner perfection, which is what counts as regards attaining mokṣa. External power is not necessary. Therefore the assertion that women cannot be tirthankaras has no foundation in truth.
650
-
-
Women receive dikṣā, this being permitted by the Sastras; they observe the rule of keśa-luñcana, the plucking out of the hair; they use the dharma-upakaraṇa: the picchikā, the kamaṇḍalu and books; all the signs appertaining to ascetics are observable in them. Then how can one say that they are not worthy to receive dikṣā? And since they do in fact receive dikṣā, how can one say that they are precluded from Liberation?
As this whole chapter is devoted to the aryikās, the following few observations in the form of reflections or of queries which would benefit from full and careful replies are presented with the Digambara tradition in mind.
Wherefore the evidence gleaned from the Agamas and from elsewhere all goes to prove the statement: the Liberation of womankind is a reality.43
After studying these few texts, we may consider afresh the question of the obligatoriness of complete physical nudity for attaining mokṣa, a question which is advanced in the name of that perfect self-mastery which goes hand in hand with the elimination of karmic matter. Not only, we note, are women debarred from Liberation but also all men who wear clothing, including the Svetämbara munis.
43 Among other ācāryas who rebutted the opinions of the Digambaras and defended the right of womankind to Liberation we must include Dharmasagara of the XVIth c; cf. Winternitz, 1977, p. 593. Cf. also P.S. Jaini, 1984, a short paper which brings together the arguments from both
sects.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
