The World of Jainism- Jaina History, Art, Literature Philosophy and Religion (An Old and Rare Book)

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I welcome this little bunch of essays which gives a com prehensive account of Jaina religion, philosophy, art and culture-should not present any difficulty in understanding for scholars ture. I cannot claim to be an authority on the intricate problems of philosophy. But I think the basic tenets of Jainism and laymen alike.

I feel it would not be an exaggeration to say that Indian culture is deeply indebted to Jaina thought for some of its out-standing qualities, such as non-violence, Anekanta and limited possession. The Jaina religion embodying the principles of truth, non-violence, limited possession and, last not but least. anekanta or syadrada (many-sided view of reality) has made a contribution to Indian culture.

Dr. Viswanath Pandey has given a scholarly exposition of Jaina religion and philosophy and has shown how it contributes to the Indian philosophical system and way of life However, I think that Dr. Pandey's analysis suffers from certain misconceptions about the Jaina concepts of Ahimsa, Sramana and Brah-manana ways of life, Jaina concepts of jira and ajira and the practice of Sallekhana.

I do not think it is correct to say that Jainism has over-emphasised asceticism and ahimsa in order to get the better of the rival religious faiths. To understand the proper significance of ashimsa in practical life, we have to see how a householder is expected to observe it.

A householder cannot avoid injury in an ideal manner so he is expected to cause minimum injury to others in the course of day-to-day activities. In view of the routine of the society in which we have to live, injury is classified under four heads first, there is accidental injury in digging, pounding. cooking and such other activities essential to daily living.

Second, there is occupational injury when a soldier fights, an agriculturist tills the land, ete. Third, there is protective injury when one protects one's or other's life and honour against wild beasts and enemies. This third can be classified as Rajdharma or statecraft which will adequately deal with the problems of law and order and punishment of criminals if necessary with hanging.

Lastly, there is intentional injury when one kills simply for the sake of killing as in hunting or butchery. A householder is expected to abstain fully from intentional injury and as far as possible from the rest.

Similarly. I think it would not be correct to say that Mahavira followed the Brahmanic model of asceticism. In ancient scriptures Sramanas and Brahmanas were distinguished for different qualities. We have to remember that Sramanadharma was expounded by Mahavira as a protest against sacrificial killing in Brahmanism.

Indian culture is a composite one. It is a harmonious amalgam of many races, traditions and religious and philosophical systems. Each one of these tendencies has added a new element to the totality and novelty of Indian life and culture. Jainism has been one of the most powerful cultural forces which has enriched Indian life in all aspects Be it philosophy or religion, art or architecture, literature or folklore, Jainism has con-tributed immensely to the development of Indian civilization and culture. The Jaina doctrine of Ahimsa, its spirit of renunciation, the artistic monuments of Mt. Abu, Palitana and Sravana Belgola, and exquisite pieces of Jaina sculpture and paintings are landmarks in the cultural history of India.

Jainism champions the cause of complete renunciation (nitritti), which it takes to its logical extremes. The other extreme of life is self indulgence (pravrstti) which was championed by the Carvakas in ancient India. It is between these two extremes that Indian life was regulated in ancient India, and to a great extent, it is so even to-day. The Jaina doctrine of renunciation and self-mortification is based on the belief that the absence of renunciation necessarily leads to Pravritti-marga or indulgence which in its turn leads to injury of life (himsa), and that renunciation leads to extinction of all actions (karmas) bodily, speech and mental, which automatically result in non-injury and hence in liberation of soul. The Jaina conception of Ahimsa is rooted in this belief. Again, the Jainas believe that the karmas which result from bodily, speech, and mental actions form karmie particles which cloud the soul, whose intrinsic nature is purity and knowledge.

The way to destroy the karmic particles which keep the soul in bondage is the practice of great vows (Anuvratas and Mahavratas), especially non-injury (Ahimsa), the crown of all virtues. Once the karmas are destroyed, the soul becomes free and full of knowledge. In order to realize this goal one has to depend on oneself. There is no place for grace of God in Jainism; for there is no place for God in it. One can at best derive some inspiration from the Tirthankaras by emulating them and paying them due reverence. But ultimately, as is the case in Buddhism, man is the master of his destiny.

Jainism and Buddhism are primarily ethical systems. They started as a revolt against the vedic ritualism which very often encouraged violence for the material gain of life. These movements, on the other hand, laid emphasis on the inner transformation of man. It is the moral purity and spiritual development that are sine qua non of Jainism and Buddhism. However, as it is natural for all religions, they could not help entering into metaphysical speculations, or rather into what one can call the fundamental questions of life and world. The Jaina canonical literature enumerates four schools of philosophy existing at the time of Mahavira. These are Kriyavada, Akriyavada, Ajnana-vada and Vainayikavada (for details see the article Jaina Philo sophy and Religion). Jaina Philosophy seems to be founded on the philosophical tendencies present at that time. As the article referred to above shows, the Jaina Kriyavada, Syadavada, its conception of Jiva and Ajiva and its ethics can be traced to its contemporary thought (see the article Evolution of Jaina Thought') (pp. 46-52). But it is not denying the fact that Jainism has contributed a lot and has given a new blend to the religious and philosophical thinking of India. Like the other systems of Indian thought, Jaina philosophy developed as a result of pole-mic. And at times it had an edge over them.

Jaina philosophical works such as Tattvartha Sutra of Umasvatı, Nyayavatara of Siddhasena Divakara, Siddhavinisaya and other works of Akalanka, Anekanta-Jayapataka, Yoga Vindu, Yoga Sataka of Haribhadra Suri, Pramanamimansa and Yoga-sastra, etc., of Hemachandra, Anekanta-Vyavastha, Jnanabindu, etc., of Yasovijaya, Syadvamanjari of Malisena and other philo-sophical works of several other authors are monumental.

Jaina philosophy and belief stimulated many traditions in Indian art and literature. The language which Mahavira used for his teachings was Prakrit or Ardhamagadhi. It is in this language the Jaina Agamas or canonical literature was first reduced to writing. Ardhamagadhi is therefore the sacred language for the Jainas, as Sanskrit is for Hindus and Pali for the Buddhists. In due course the Jainas also started using Sanskrit language and wrote many literary, philosophical and scientific works in this language. The Jaina works are now found in almost all Southern and Northern Indian languages, Contrary to the common belief the Jainas produced many standard works of secular nature as well. These are on astronomy, geography, cosmogony, prosody, lexicography, poetics, etc. They developed very rich narrative literature (see infra pp. 27-45) which mirrors very vividly the life of the people and society of that time. 'Charitra' literature or stories about the Tirthankaras also enrich Jaina literature.