Life in Ancient India as Depicted in Jain Canons

SR No.: 011077
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jagdishchandra Jain
Publisher: New Book Company
Publication Year: 1947
Total Pages: 429
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 143

SOCIAL ORGANISATION
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Brāhmanas were identical.11 The pre-eminent position of the Brāhmanas is also evidenced by the fact that Mahāvīra was stylcd as Māhana or Mahānuihana.13
JAIN CONCEPTIOV OT BR IHIVLINA Jain writers likc those of the Buddhists lay sticss on one's deeds rather than one's birth It is said that one does not become a Siamana by the tonsure, nor a Biūhmina by enchanting the sacicd syllable 'Om', nor a lIuni by living in woods, nor a Trīvasa by weaning clothes of husa grass and bark, but one becomes a seamana by cquanimity of mind, a Brahmana by chastily, a sum by knowledge and Tiivasa bv penance In fact, a person's worth in life is dctei mined by vn tuous life and not by birth 14 The idiculc of caste system reaches its highest pitch when Hariesa, a solāga by bith, visited a sacuificial cnclosure an acado) of a Brahmina teacher and preached him that the ical fire was penance, the real fire-place was life, the real ladle (
si) was right cxcition, thc ical Cow-dung was body, the ical fire-wood was kai man, the real oblation was self-control, right exertion and tranquility. thc sacied pond was law and the ieal bathing-place was celibacy w But it is interesting to note that in spite of those caste-denouncing prcachings and sermons the Jains could not do away with the timc honoured iestiictions ci castchcy dicw a line of distinction between high tubes (patz-āja) and low tubes (jālzJungrya), high trade (hamma-ciza) and low tiade (kamma-jungu a) and high crafts (szppa-hiya) and low crafts is ppa-jungwa) which wc shall see shortly
THIR PRIVII CGIS Wliatever view the Jains nay have had about the Brāhmanas, it is certain that gencially they wcie held in icspect and cstecm by the pcople as pointed out alıcadw We dic told that hing Bharata sed them daily and distinguished ilıcm fiom otheis by putting the mark of Lakini jewel on their person 17 1 he hings showed liberality towards them by offering gifts Wclearn that the Nanda of Parlalıputta gaieanay wealth
11 Cf lca cu p 93 , cl Samrultr, Simini Bu bm 103 Sutli (II p 1295, 236 S, IV,
p 2311, V,pi 19 Süya 91 13 t'ia 7
Litara 23 29 ft CI i similar view of the Buchst w ets Buth and caste cause conceit, virtuc is the highest , bhitti, 1 Brun Tswa Suda (ulin and Pulhusa all beconi qurl in the wall of Gxl (the ha «clul vituously here, Sutla Veputa , 7, III, 9, lich op mil
p
i di pp 334 363 15 Uttara 12 411 16 Cr the Buddhists who stood 75 gicat champions for the pulty of blood by heping the
family pure through maillage confined to the people of one's standing and piofession and not to allow it to dugcncrale though mixture with lonci elements (Fick op at, p 52) cr ako Ghuic op cup 66 also ser Sammri I 11 oda-nt (p 410) where
hamma and wppa air divided into high and low 17 dva, cū. p. 213 I.