Jainism and Karnataka Culture

SR No.: 011062
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S R Sharma
Publisher: Karnataka Historical Research Society Dharwar
Publication Year: 1940
Total Pages: 263
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 182

138
JAINISM AND KARNĀTAKA CULTURE
by the worldly life. 35 But the end was the same, and a layman ultimately looked to becoming a full-grown ascetic. For, accor. ding to the Jaina, emancipation could be had only at the end of a period of rigorous self-mortification, which was possible only for an ascetic to undergo. 36 Nirvāṇa was the goal to be attained. According to the Digambaras complete nudity was essential for this; the Śvetämbaras thought that it was not absolutely necessary. 37 In the Uttarādhyayana, beloning to the latter, it is stated that "Some house-holders are superior to some monks; but the saints are superior to all house-holders”. 38 The Digambaras, being more severe in their view of asceticism, differed from the Svetāmbaras in this and another important respects, viz., as regards their treatment of woman. The Svetämbaras admitted that woman too could attain salvation and hence allowed them to become nuns. There are rules in their sacred books for the guidance of nuns no less than for the monks. 39 On the contrary, the Digambaras definitely closed the doors of salvation against house-holders and woman, undoubtedly as a corollary to their extreme insistance on nakedness. Srutasāgara plainly states-
खंडनी पेषनी चुल्ली उदकुंभ प्रमार्जनी। पंचसूना गृहस्थस्य तेन मोक्षं न गच्छति ॥ तथा स्त्रीणामपि मुक्तिन भवति महात्रताभावात् । तदपि कस्मात्र भवति । कक्षयोस्तनयोरंतरे नाभौ योनौ च जीवानामुत्पत्तिविनाशलक्षणहिंसासद्भावात् ॥ मिशंकत्वा. भावात् । वनपरिग्रहात्यजनात् ॥ अहमिंदपदमपि न लभते कथं निर्वाणमिति 1211
The reasons are that women and house-holders cannot attain Nirvāņa for their inability to obverve certain injunctions. 40
35 Ibid., p. 69. 36 Tbis period extended from one antarmuhuyla before death to twelva
years at the most. Ibid., p. 7o; Jacobi, Death and Disposal of the
Dead (Jain ), E. R. E. IV, P. 185. 87 Bühler, op. cit., p. 2; Burgess, Ind. Ant., p. 28. 88 Ottaràdhyayana Sutta, SB. E. XLV, 5-20. 39 e.g. Kalpa Sūtra, Rules for Yatig, 8. B. E. XXII, p. 297. 40 Srutaságara, Shatprabhrta-tiks ; of Peterson, op. cit. II, pp. 84-85;
Age also Devasena's Bhavasamgraha, M. D. J. G. XX, PP, 26-7 vv 92-8.