Spread of Jaininsm, Why, Result of Spread, Why less Spread, why not out of India ?

Spread of Jainism
Sachin Kr. Tiwary

Why they started to shifting from the land of their origin ?- 10
Why
Migration
?
Lack of
Patronage
Other
Competitors
Height of
Philosophy
Liberal Steps
of Existing
Religion
Internal
DisputesNot ready to
change with
the time
Uncertainty
of Ruling
Power
Emergence
of New
Empire and
Dynasty
Geographical
Condition
Diffusion of
Centre (Jaina
Council)

Jaina Centers
Sources
Literature
Brahminical-Buddhist-
Jainism
Archaeological
Epigraphs- Mural- Art-
Architecture- Excavations
Legacy
Living Practices- Temple-
Monasteries- Festivals-
Rituals

Gurjara-Pratihara Empire, 800-900 CE
Maitraka dynasty, 500-800 CE
Second Jain Council at Vallabhi in 512 CE,
Final Compilations of 12 Angas and 12 Upangas.
Gradual Development of Jainism in Gujarat
Started During Neminath, 22nd
Chavda dynasty, 746- 942 CE
Amoghavarsha I (r.814–878 CE) of Rashtrakuta dynasty
11th – 12th and 13th Cen. (Vaghela dynasty)
Jaina Centers in Gujarat

Kumbharia Jain temples Dilwara Temples , Mount Abu

Gradual Growth of Jainism in MH
• The oldest inscription in Maharashtra is a 200 BC Jain inscription in a cave near Pale village in the Pune
District. It was written in the Jain Prakrit and includes the Navkar Mantra.
• Satvahana Dynasty- Paithan is a well known ancient Digambar Jain. This temple is dedicated to
Munisuvrata, the 20th Jain tirthanakar.
• Ankai Tankai, Nasik Jaina Caves

• Ellora Jain (caves 30–34)

Ancient texts such as the Shankardigvijaya and Shivlilamruta suggest that a large number
of Maharashtra were Jains in the ancient period.

• Mangi giri hill, Nasik

• Godiji, Mumbai
• Godiji Parshwanath Temple, Tharparkar, Pakistan

• Shantinath Jaina Temple

Jaina Centers in Andhra Pradesh
• The Jaina tradition is that Mahavira (mahāvīra) himself
had come to the north-eastern borders
of Andhra Pradesh and preached the religion.
• There is a tradition (represented
in Pariśiṣṭaparvan of Hemachandra) that Samprati, the
grandson of Asoka (aśoka), sent Jaina monks to Andhra
in the capacity as his ambassadors, after instructing the
people how to treat them.
• The Hāthīgumphā inscription of
Kharavela (kharavēla), written in Mauryan year 165
(2nd century B.C.), says that the idol of the Jina, which
belonged to Kaliṅga taken by King Nanda
of Magadha[20], was regained and brought.
• The Satavahana rulers of Pre-Christian era who ruled a
vast territory which now comprises of Andhra,
Maharashtra and Karnataka states were also influenced
by Jainism. "Kalakasuri prabandha" writes that one of
the Satavahana rulers of Pratistanapura used to attend
a Jaina monk's discourse.

• Even before the reign of Chalukya king Pulakesi the (17th Century A. D.) Jainism was a dominant religion in the Karnataka. All
the later kings like Vinayaditya, Vijayaditya helped Jaina saints in spreading their religion. During Vatapi Chalukyas and
Rashtrakutas in whose kingdoms much of Andhra (mainly Rayalasemsa and Telangana regions) was a territory influenced by
Jainism as these kings were great patrons of this religion.
• During the Rashtrakuta king Nitya Varsha Indra Vallabha (915-927 A. D.) Bodhan was his capital and even now it is considered
by the jainas as one of their Adima Thirthas. The famous Jaina Acharya Somadevasuri of that time wrote many books and
spread the faith the Telangana region.
• From 2nd century B. C. upto 800-900 A. D., there were no inscriptions bearing the dates of that period. It might be the period
of Jaina decline in Kalinga and it was only during that period of Jaina decline in Kalinga and it was only during that period the
Vedic and the Buddhistic religions began to flourish in Kalinga.
• Tradition says that in a village known as Gangaperulu in Rayalasema, a Jaina monk known as Simhanandi Acharya lived. The
princes who fled from a town known as Vijayapura in northern India, sought his protection and later founded the famous
Ganga dynasty with is blessings. Excavations conducted at Danavulapadu in Cuddapah district revealed the extent of spread of
Jainism in that area.
• The founder of Eastern Chalukya dynasty Kubjavishnuvardhana (624-641 A. D.) was brother of Pulakesi II. During his period
Vijayawada was a great Jaina centre. His Danasasana (762 A. D.) indicates that he was a great portion of Jaina religion.
• Ramatirtham in Visakhapatnam district was both a Buddhist and Jaina Kshetra and now it is a famous Hindu Kshetra.
Excavations at Penugonda in East Godavari district revealed that it was once a Jaina religious centre. At the time of Kullotunga
Chola son of Raja Rajanarendra, Munugodu in Sattenapalli taluq was a Jaina kshetra. Another inscription of 1178 A. D. reveals
that Bhogapuram in Visakhapatnam Dt. was having Jaina temples. In Nellore district upto 13th Century there were Jaina
temples.
• It is a wonder that though Jainism was prevalent for more than 1500 years in Andhra only one book written a by a saint of this
area is available now. It is Jinendra Kalyanabhyudaya by Appayacharya (1241 Saka era).
• For an Archaeologist and epigraphist who wishes to study Jaina history Andhra provides a rich source . "Padu" were all Jaina
villages. In many places in Andhra we find wells known as Jainabavulu. They are of a particular type of construction. They are
covered by lids so that animals in the streets may not fall in the nights. Similarly in many villages we find idols called as
"Sanyasi Demullu". All such villages were once Jaina villages. Many such villages are found in Coastal Andhra.
Jaina Centers in Andhra Pradesh

• Historical association of Jainism with Karnataka dates back
to the 300 BCE- Chandragupta Maurya & Bhadrabahu..
• Western Ganga (Marsingh-I, Rachmall IV, V (350-1000 CE)
• Kadamba (345- 525 CE)
• Chalukya (600-12th Cen. CE)
• Hoysala (1200-1400 CE)
• Vijayanagar (1336-1646 CE)
Jaina Centers in Karnataka

Bahubali
The son of Rishabhnath
The 57 ft high Gommateshwara at Shravanbelagola,
Karnataka, was built in 981 CE
Ādi purāṇa, a 9th-century Sanskrit poem, deals with the ten lives of
the first tirthankara, Rishabhanatha and his two sons Bharata and
Bahubali. It was composed by Jinasena, a Digambara monk.
Akkana Basadi, Shravanabelagola.

Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal

ASI Bengaluru
Jaina Basadi, Halebidu

Jain Tirthankara Bahubali and Parshvanath in the Badami cave temple no.4 (700 to 1200 CE

• A palm leaf manuscript with ancient Tamil text Cīvaka
Cintāmaṇi
• Kalabhra dynasty, who were patrons of Jainism, ruled over
the entire ancient Tamil country in the 3rd–7th century CE.
• Pallavas followed Hinduism but also patronized Jainism.
The Trilokyanatha Temple in Kanchipuram and Chitharal Jain
Temple were built during the reign of the Pallava dynasty.
• The Pandyan kings were initially Jains but later
became Shaivaites. The Sittanavasal Cave and Samanar
Malai are Jain complexes that were built during the reign
of Pandyan dynasty.
• Chola dynasty-The construction of Tirumalai cave
complex was commissioned Queen Kundavai, elder sister
of Rajaraja Chola I. The Digambara Jain Temple
in Thirakoil and the Mallinathaswamy Jain
Temple in Mannargudi were both built during the reign of
the Chola dynasty.
Jaina Centers in Tamilnadu

Siththanna Vaasal Painting Mahavir Swami temple, Tirumalai

Parshvanatha at Thirakoil, 800 CE 16 meter statue of Neminath, the tallest Jain sculpture in,
Thirumalai, TN

• Evidence for the early influence of Jainism, in what was known
as Tami̟l̟akam, is provided in Sangam literature.
• Many of the early Tamil texts that have survived are credited to
Jain authors, including Tamil epics
like S̄ilappatikāram and Civakacint̠a̅man̟i.
• Post-Sangam texts like Naladiyar are also influenced by the Jain
ideas of the transitory nature of reality, the virtues of
renunciation and so on.
• Temple inscriptions from different regions in Northern Kerala—
Tazhekkav, Tiruvannur, Alathur, Kinalur—show that temples
played a significant role in integrating different sections like
trading groups, local chieftains, militias and even kings into the
temple-centred social structure.
• Jain traditions in South India are predominantly Digambara.
There is another, lesser-known, Jain sect called Yapaniya that
emerged in South India, which adopted relatively liberal
attitudes towards female renunciants.
• There are a few Jain settlements in Kerala in the districts of
Palakkad and Wayanad.
• In contrast, the relics of Jainism are principally present in
Northern Kerala, in the districts of Palakkad, Kozhikode and
Wayanad.
Jaina Centers in Kerala

Jain Art & Carvings at Chitharal Hill Temple

Why did Jainism fail to spread in the world?
• Lack of patronage from a strong monarch, like Ashoka and Kushana did for Buddhism. Asoka was instrumental
in spreading Buddhism to south of India(e.g. Srilanka,Thailand) and Kushana did the same to north of India(e.g.
Korea,China,Japan).
• Lack of Efforts; Unlike Abrahamic religions, Jainism doesn't believe in proselytizing activities due to its inherent
philosophy of Anekantvad which accepts that truth can be multifaceted.
• Lord Mahavira, who was contemporary of Buddha haven't promoted it aggressively although it spread after him to other part
at faster pace.
• A very strict code of conduct to follow. Unlike, the middle path of Buddhism; Jain philosophy believes that soul
and matter are two different things and they should be separated by doing penance. Hence, to destroy
the karmas(nirjara) extreme austerities need to be practiced on the body.
• Ahimsa: the whole idea of Jainism is based on ahimsa(non-violence) and tolerance. Hence, in the long history of its existence
it has never been imposed on anyone.
• These non violent principles and patronage by trading community was also responsible for large conversion of jains into other
religions, as they failed to safeguard themselves from those attacks.
• The first and foremost is that you have to be a vegetarian to the core.
• Not to use all agricultural products that grow under the ground like : potato, onion, garlic, ginger, carrots etc.
• You cannot have food after sundown.
• Role of Hindu Philosopher and Circumstances. Similarly, they failed to counter conversion to Islam(especially
during mughal period) when Jains formed one of the largest and influential communities in India
• Too much focus on other worldly things and meta physics which failed to get attention of masses. In initial years
it was totally an intellectual concept which lacked mass appeal as it didn't promised an easy road to salvation.
• Sallekhana where you stop consumption of food and water until death. This is though practiced by the old and
the infirm.
• Naked: Such concepts can flourish only in India.

Contribution of Jainism
Contribution
Language &
Literature
Principle of
Non-
Violence
Influence on
Politics
Growth of
Traders
Growth of
Charity
Art &
Architecture
New Way of
Life

Spread of Jaininsm, Why, Result of Spread, Why less Spread, why not out of India ?

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