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by Jayaram V
For a century or so after the passing away of Mahavira,
Jainism remained an
insignificant sect with no great following worth
speaking. With Buddhism on the ascendance and its increasing popularity
among the lay folk, with many other rival sects such as the Ajivakas, the
Lokayatas, the Samkhya Vadins competing vigorously and trying to outdo each
other, Jainism remained in the back ground, with a small but highly
committed following of its own.
As a religion it appealed to few and offered but little
comfort to those who wanted to continue their old materialistic ways but at
the same time dabble a little bit in religion so as to whet their spiritual
appetite or allay their fears of retribution or falling into hells.
With its heavy emphasis on the cultivation of
highest virtues, offering no compromises on the question of austerities and
monastic discipline, Jainism could not make much head way especially in
times when the middle path of the Buddha was becoming increasingly popular,
offering the much needed spiritual comfort to the materialistically inclined
and socially and financially well placed trading and ruling classes.
During this period, the sect survived because of the
dedicated work of many spiritual leaders referred in the Jain texts as
Gandharas. Because of their sustained efforts the sect seemed to have gained
some recognition by the time the Mauryas came to power in the 4th century
BC. Tradition states that their first king, the famous and legendary
Chandragupta Maurya, became a Jain in the later part of his reign and
died as a Jain monk. Bhadrabahu, a Jain monk of highest virtue, was
instrumental in this conversion.
Foreseeing an impending famine of serious dimensions in
northern India, Bhadrabahu seemed to have persuaded Chandragupta Maurya to
accompany him to the south, where the monks could pursue their activities
and also spread Jainism in the south. The king consented and they all
traveled to a place now called Sravanabelagola in the south. Chandragupta
Maurya ended his life there, in the true Jain tradition, fasting himself to
death.
At the same time, when Bhadrabahu was in the south with
his followers, a group of monks remained in the north, facing the famine,
under the leadership of Sthulabhadra. He said to have diluted some of
the teachings of Mahavira as compromise, in view of the distress and
confusion caused by the severity of the famine.
When the group headed by Bhadrabahu finally returned to
the north they were disillusioned at the changes that took place in the
Order. A meeting was convened at Pataliputra to sort out the differences and
preserve the teachings of Mahavira. But Bhadrabahu did not attend the
meeting. He proceeded to Nepal, where he died in the true Jain tradition,
fasting himself to death.
Jainism spread to south India during the post Mauryan
period, mainly because of the dedicated work of the Jain monks who migrated
to the south. Many south Indian kings became converted to Jainism and
patronized the religion.
It also spread to the eastern coastal belt of India now
comprising, parts of Andhrapradesh and Orissa. About 450 BC, a council was
organized at Vallabhi under the leadership of Devarddhi, which recognized 84
works as the main canonical literature.
In the west, in Gujarat, Jainism became popular mostly
during the medieval period when Kumarapala ascended the throne and
ruled from Gujarat. The invasion of the Muslims from outside did effect
Jainism also, especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan, but it survived because
of the high degree of monastic discipline and the commitment of its monks to
the life they had chosen.
Suggested Further Reading
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