3.5 Jainism · Part 2

Ajita Kesakambalin (Ajita of the Hair Blanket) was a materialist. He believed that every human was made of four primary elements: fire, XI History - Lesson - - Rise of Territorial Kingdoms and New Religious Sects unto death according to Jaina ideals. His death or final liberation was a joyous event for the Jains. Mahavira had a huge following. In the early stages, his followers were drawn from different sections of the society. However, in course of time, Jainism was confined to the trading and money-lending community. Jainism’s insistence on non-violence closed other occupations, including agriculture, as it prescribed refraining from intended or unintended killing. About years after Mahavira’s death, in about or CE, a schism occurred in Jainism. Magadha was affected by severe famine and some of the Jaina monks under Bhadrabahu went south to maintain their strict discipline. They remained without garments and were known as Digambaras (space-clad or naked). Others stayed back under the leadership of Sthulabhadra and adopted a white garment and were known as Svetambaras (white-clad). The schism weakened Jainism in Magadha, but it found ardent followers in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Karnataka. On the death of Bhadrabahu, Shulabhadra held a Great Council at Pataliputra, which compiled the Jaina canon. It consisted of angas (limbs). Another council was held in Valabhi, Gujarat, in the 5th century CE. It added upangas (minor sections). The Jaina monks not only wrote religious treatises but also promoted secular literature. Acharrangasutra , Sutrakritanga , and Kalpasutra are the earliest Jaina texts. Most of the early Jaina texts were written in Ardha-Magadhi, the language of the common people. Tenets of Jainism The central tenet of Jainism is non-violence. No other religion lays as much emphasis on non- violence as does Jainism. It also criticises human Mahavira Nirgranthas (free from bonds). Mahavira was known as Jina (conqueror) of the soul and hence his sect came to be known as Jainism. According to Jain tradition, Mahavira was not the founder of Jainism. According to Jaina tradition, Risabha was the founder of the sect.