Jain Parampara Me Kashi

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Jain Parampara me Kashi" by Sagarmal Jain, based on the provided PDF pages:

The book "Jain Parampara me Kashi" by Dr. Sagarmal Jain extensively details the historical and religious significance of Kashi (Varanasi) within the Jain tradition. The text highlights Kashi's deep-rooted connection to Jainism, tracing its importance from ancient times to the modern era.

Key aspects covered in the summary:

• Kashi as a Birthplace of Tirthankaras: Kashi holds a special place as the birthplace of four Tirthankaras: Suparshva, Chandraprabha, Shreyamsa, and Parshva. The text notes that after Ayodhya, Varanasi is the only city honored with being the birthplace of multiple Tirthankaras. Suparshva and Parshva were born in Varanasi itself, Chandraprabha in Chandrapuri (15 km east of Varanasi on the Ganga), and Shreyamsa in Singhpuri (present-day Sarnath).

• Historicality of Parshvanatha: The text emphasizes the historical existence of Parshvanatha, a prominent Tirthankara. His mentions are found in ancient Jain texts like Rishabhas, Acharanga, Bhagavati, Uttaradhyayana, and Kalpasutra, dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century BCE. He is described as "Purushadaniya" (worthy of reverence) in these texts and in the Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya as "Purushajaniya." Parshvanatha is identified as the son of King Ashvasena of Varanasi, with his era placed in the 9th-8th century BCE. Ashvasena's identification with Haryashva mentioned in the Puranas is also suggested.

• Parshvanatha's Disciples and Contemporaries: The text lists significant figures associated with Parshvanatha in Varanasi, including his chief disciple Aryadatta, the prominent nun Pushpachula, and many householder devotees like Suvrata and Sunanda. Som, a learned Brahmin's son from Varanasi, is mentioned as a principal Ganadhara, also referenced in Rishabhas. The existence of eight Ganas and eight Ganadharas for Parshvanatha is affirmed, refuting claims of fewer.

• Kashi's Role in Early Jain Struggles: The text details the conflicts faced by Jainism in Kashi, particularly those related to the rejection of ritualism and casteism.

  • Parshva and Kamath Tapas: A significant struggle involved Parshva and the ascetic Kamath, who practiced extreme penance. Parshva advocated for a religion based on wisdom and self-control, contrasting it with Kamath's ritualistic and violent asceticism, which often involved the harm of living beings. This conflict is seen as a struggle between the path of knowledge and the path of bodily punishment/ritualism.
  • Harikesh Bal and Ritualists: Another event highlights the opposition of Jainism to casteism and Vedic rituals. Harikesh Bal, a Chandal (low caste), faced discrimination and violence when seeking alms in a yajna (ritual). His teachings about true ritualism and his eventual acceptance by a Yaksha (deity) are discussed. This suggests that Jainism did not oppose Yaksha worship as strongly as it opposed violent rituals.
  • Jain Kings and Mahavira's Era: The text mentions kings like Alarka (Alaksh) and Jitasatru as being associated with Kashi during Mahavira's time. However, it notes that the historical accuracy of some earlier kings like Shankha, Kataka, and Dharmaruci is uncertain. Chulani Pitha and Suradeva are mentioned as prominent lay disciples of Mahavira from Varanasi, who were wealthy merchants. Mahavira himself is said to have visited Varanasi.

• Geographical and Religious Landscape of Kashi in Jain Texts:

  • Kashi as a Janapada: The Jain text Pragyapana categorizes Kashi as a Janapada (territory) with Varanasi as its capital. Its borders are described in relation to Vatsa, Magadha, Videha, and Kosala. The text discusses the geographical description of the Ganga's flow near Varanasi as mentioned in Gnata Dharma Katha and Uttaradhyayana Churni, noting the presence of a "dead river" (mrita Ganga) and a pond, possibly near a settlement of Matangas (outcasts).
  • Sacred Sites and Gardens: Several gardens and forest tracts near Varanasi are mentioned in Jain Agamas, including Ashrampada (Kalpasutra), Koshthaka (Upasak Dasanga), Ambasalvana (Niryavalika), Kamamahavana (Antakrit Dashanga), and Tenduka (Uttaradhyayana Niyukti).
  • Yaksha Worship: The text notes that while Jain Agamas don't mention Kashi as Shiva's city, the 14th-century Vividha Tirtha Kalpa does, alongside the prevalence of Yaksha worship. The Gandi Yaksha in the Tenduka garden, who was pleased with Harikesh Bal, is discussed. The story suggests that Yaksha worship had less opposition from the Shramana tradition than violent Yajna rituals.

• Kashi During the Gupta Period: Archaeological evidence, including a statue of Rishabhadeva from Rajghat and a copperplate from Pahadpur dated 479 CE, confirms the presence of a Jain settlement in Kashi during the Gupta period. This copperplate mentions the Vatgohali Vihar, managed by disciples of Acharya Gunanandi, who belonged to the Yapiyaniya sect, distinct from both Shvetambara and Digambara traditions. This indicates the influence of Yapiyaniya Jains in Kashi, similar to Mathura.

• Acharya Samantabhadra's Story: A significant event during the Gupta period involves Acharya Samantabhadra (4th-5th century CE). According to Jain tradition, he traveled to Kashi from the south to alleviate his illness (Bhasmak disease). He reportedly worked as a priest in a Shiva temple, sustaining himself on temple offerings. When caught accepting offerings, he is said to have composed the Svayambhu Stotra and revealed a four-faced image of Chandraprabha from a Shiva Lingam to protect his reputation. This story suggests Kashi was a center of learning, and Jain scholars might have had to adopt disguised identities to study other philosophies.

• Jain Presence from 5th to 11th Centuries: Archaeological findings of Jain sculptures from the 6th to 8th centuries CE (Mahavir, Neminath, Ajitanatha, Parshvanatha) and the 9th to 11th centuries CE (Vimalanatha, Rishabhanatha) confirm the continued existence of Jain temples and settlements in Kashi during these periods.

• Kashi in the 12th to 14th Centuries: Texts like Prabandhakosha and Vividha Tirtha Kalpa provide information about Kashi during this era. Prabandhakosha mentions King Govindachandra of Kashi and his sons, and renovations of Jain temples up to Kashi by Tejpal and Vastupal. Vividha Tirtha Kalpa describes Kashi as a city of learning, populated by ascetics and Brahmins, divided into four parts: Deva Kashi (with Vishwanath Temple and Chaturvimsati-patt puja), Rajadhani Kashi (where Yavanas resided), Madan Kashi, and Vijaya Kashi. It also mentions the Parshvanatha Chaitya in Kashi, the Dharmakshetra stupa in Sarnath, and Chandraprabha in Chandravati. The description suggests a lively urban environment.

• Kashi from the 15th to 19th Centuries:

  • 15th-17th Centuries: Archaeological and literary evidence, including the present-day temples, manuscripts in Jain Bhandars, and mentions in Banarasi Das's Ardha Kathānak, point to Jain presence. Banarasi Das, a merchant from Agra, lived in Kashi for his business and described the city in his autobiography.
  • 17th Century: Upadhyaya Yashovijaya, a Shvetambara Jain monk, came to Kashi from Gujarat for his studies, underscoring Kashi's reputation as a center of learning for Jain scholars.
  • 19th Century: Bishop Heber's account mentions the existence of a significant Jain population in Kashi and their internal disputes. He describes his visit to a Jain temple and meeting a Jain guru.

• Establishment of Jain Educational Institutions: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jain scholars made efforts to establish Kashi as a center for Jain learning. Due to difficulties in accessing knowledge from Brahmanic teachers, they established independent institutions: Yashovijaya Pathshala (Shvetambara) and Syadvada Mahavidyalaya (Digambara). These institutions produced renowned scholars, including Pt. Sukhlalji, who later founded the Parshvanath Vidyashram at Banaras Hindu University, which is now a prominent center for advanced Jain studies and publications.

Conclusion: The book concludes by emphasizing that Kashi has maintained a continuous Jain presence for approximately 2800 years, from the era of Parshvanatha to the present day. Throughout this long period, Kashi has made a significant contribution to the development of Jain knowledge and art.