Jainism and Karnataka

Dr. T. G. Kalghatgi

Jaina Philosophy

(Short introduction- contd..)

(right conduct). The theories which do not emphasise the moral responsibility of individual selves are not to be accepted as absolutely real. Moral excellence is as much important as right knowledge and right understanding for self-realisation. The path of virtue is the path leading to the realisation of truth. The five vratas: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (pursuit of truth), asteya (non-stealing and honesty), brahmacarya (celibacy) and aparigraha (non-possession and non-attachment) are the fundamental virtues. However, the practice of vratas is graded A distinction is drawn between the moral codes for the ascetic (muni) and for the layman (Sravaka). The munis (ascetics) have to practise the vratas rigorously. But the sravaka has social responsibilities. They have to practise the vows with lesser degree of rigour. The practice of non-violence is the most important principle of the Jainas. Ahimsa paramodharmah is the cardinal principle of Jaina view of life. Ahimsa is non-injury, physical and mental. One should not hurt another in body, mind and speech, one should avoid directly causing injury to a living being, one should not cause others to commit injury, nor should one consent to the causing of injury. Himsa (injury) is the hurt caused to a living being through negligence, intentionally or under the grip of impulses and emotional stress'. Himsa caused without the slightest intention and awareness in the pursuit of one's duties in society need not be branded as himsa. For instance, the farmer ploughing the field. although he has awareness that possible injury would be caused to numerous tiny creatures, cannot be avoided in the larger good of society. Similarly a soldier has to fight with the enemy for the righteous cause, although he may detest fighting. He has to do so as duty. This is virodha himsa and it is permitted. The Jaina scriptures did not preach, as has been very often misunderstood, the practice of unqualified and abstract principle of ahimsa to the extent of the ridiculous. A citizen should be free from sthula himsa. Gandhiji said that nonviolence is the virtue of the brave. A coward has no moral strength to observe nonviolence. Gandhiji said that a mouse hardly forgives a cat when it allows itself to be torn to pieces by her. The Jaina concept of nonviolence has influenced the way of thought for centuries. Ahimsa has been the very fibre of the Indian Weltanschauung. There were frequent protests against the animal sacrifices in the Upanisads. In the Chandogya Upanishad life has been described as a great festival in which qualities like tapas, ahimsa are important. The protests against animal sacrifices were more pronounced from the Buddhist and the Jainas. In our time Gandhiji's weapon of Satyagraha has been built up on the analysis of ahimsa by the Jainas. Gandhiji has stated that he derived benefit from the Jaina religious works as from the scriptures of other great faiths. Polak said that the first five vows of Gandhiji were the code of Jaina monks during the two thousand years. Zimmer writes that Gandhiji's programme of Satyagraha as an expression of ahimsa is a serious,

very brave and potentially powerful modem experiment in the ancient Hindu science. Ahimsa is not negative in content. It is not mere non-injury; it expresses love and compassion. The practice of ahimsa is not for the sake of others, but for saving our own selves.

Karnataka - Jain history

II. We may consider the impact of Jainism on the culture of Karnataka. History of Karnataka is intimately connected with the history and development of Jainism in this part of the country Jainism is a way of life which has permeated the life-pulse of the people of Karnataka for over two thousand years. The Jaina poet Nrpatunga, in the 9th century A.D., described the expanse of Karnataka as the Country extending from the river Godavari to Kaveri, and the land with people skilled in the art of making speeches and well versed in poetry. The impact of Jainism as religion and philosophy may be considered from two aspects. (1) Political influence and royal patronage and (2) Its influence on the life and philosophy of the people of Karnataka. Exactly when Jainism came to the south, specially to Karnataka, is difficult to say There is a tradition in Jainism which says that the land was ruled by Jivandhara in the 6th century B. C., who was himself a Jaina and who met Mahavira when he came down to the south. Mahavira gave Diksha to him, and the King became an ascetic. (1) Apart from this tradition it is fairly certain that Jainism entered Karnataka well before the Christian era. Jainism came down to the south with Bhadrabahu Svamin, last of the Six Shrutakevalins. He reached, by stages a Country filled with happy people. He was accompanied by Candragupta, the Maurya. Bhadrabahu Svamin practised Svamlekhana on the mount Candragiri in 297 B.C. This was the beginning of the influence of Jainism in the south. Samprati, the grandson of Ashoka, was himself a Jaina in his earlier days. He sent missionaries to the south. For nearly 12 hundred years, from the 2nd century A. D, to 13th century A. D, Jainism played an important part in the social and political life of the people. It influenced the lives of the princes and the people alike. The earliest political influence of Jaina Dharma is evidenced by the establishment of a Jaina Kingdom in the south. Sometime in the 3rd century AD., two princes of the Ganga family came to the city of Perur in the south. Acarya Simhanandi initiated one of them in the Syadvada doctrine and Kongunivarma I established the Ganga dynasty with the blessings of the Acarya- There were many Jainas in Karnataka at the time. The Gangas continued their patronage to the Jaina religion. The Ganga monarchs, except in a few cases, gave royal