Jamali His Life And Point Of Diference From Lord Mahavira

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text about Jamali:

The provided text, "Jamali: His Life and Point of Difference from Lord Mahavira" by Prof. Prithviraj Jain, details the life of Jamali, a significant figure in Jainism, primarily known for causing the first schism in the Jaina Church. The summary draws from Svetambara Jain scriptures, notably the Vyākhyāprajñapti (Bhagavati Sūtra), and exegetical literature. A key point is that Digambara scriptures do not mention Jamali, likely due to their differing beliefs about Mahavira's marital status and family.

Jamali's Background and Early Life:

• Birthplace and Family: Jamali was an aristocratic prince from Kṣatriya-kundagrāma, the same hometown as Lord Mahavira. While the exact location relative to Vaishali is debated, they were nearby. The Bhagavati Sūtra does not name his parents, but commentaries suggest his father was "Pravara-narapati." There's a prevalent belief that Jamali was Mahavira's nephew (sister's son) through Mahavira's elder sister, Sudarśanā. His father was wealthy and influential, demonstrated by the grand procession for his initiation, with lavish gifts to his attendants and for essential monastic items.
• Early Life and Marriage: Jamali grew up in privilege and luxury, isolated from worldly hardships. He enjoyed a life of constant amusement, including music, dance, and thirty-two types of dramatic performances by women. The text states he had eight wives, all from noble families, with similar attributes. However, it highlights that canonical evidence for Jamali being Mahavira's son-in-law is "dubious," as the Bhagavati is silent on their names and parentage, and other scriptures don't definitively confirm this. Commentaries, however, link him to Mahavira as a nephew and son-in-law, sometimes identifying Mahavira's daughter as Anavadyangi or Priyadarśana. The text suggests that the popular belief of Jamali being Mahavira's son-in-law is based on old traditions and that Mahavira likely was married and had a daughter, making the union with Jamali plausible, though not explicitly detailed in the core canon.

Encounter with Mahavira and Renunciation:

• Hearing the Sermon: While living a life of pleasure, Jamali heard about Lord Mahavira's presence and discourse in his hometown. Driven by curiosity, he made preparations and, accompanied by friends and relatives, went to hear Mahavira. He was deeply impressed by Mahavira's serenity and the discourse, realizing the suffering inherent in worldly life and the need for renunciation.
• Seeking Initiation: After the congregation dispersed, Jamali approached Mahavira, expressing his faith in the Nirgrantha teachings and his desire to become a monk, contingent on his parents' consent. Mahavira's response was a simple affirmation, "Do not interrupt it, if it please you, O Beloved of gods."
• Parental Consent: Jamali returned home, firm in his decision to renounce. He informed his parents, who were devastated. Despite their pleas, reminding him of his youth, wealth, and wives, Jamali remained resolute. He emphasized the fleeting nature of worldly possessions and his aversion to their pleasures. When his parents warned him of the hardships of ascetic life, he declared his pursuit of eternal bliss and escape from the cycle of birth and death. Reluctantly, they gave their consent.
• Grand Initiation: A grand procession marked Jamali's renunciation. His parents presented him to Mahavira as a gift, highlighting his detachment from worldly pleasures and his fear of the cycle of existence. Jamali, along with five hundred young men, was initiated into the Holy Order. His initiation is believed to have occurred during Mahavira's second year of omniscience.

Ascetic Life and Ideological Difference:

• Ascetic Practices: Jamali engaged in rigorous asceticism, observing severe fasts and mortifications. His discipline and purity were later acknowledged by Mahavira. He quickly rose to a position of influence, being made the head of 500 monks and 1000 nuns under his worldly wife, Priyadarśana. However, the text suggests his high rank was due to his charisma rather than profound scholarship, as he later struggled with basic philosophical questions.
• The Point of Difference: After about ten years with Mahavira, Jamali sought permission to travel independently with his 500 disciples. Mahavira remained silent, which Jamali interpreted as approval. He left and, after three years, fell seriously ill due to consuming stale and inferior food. During his illness, he questioned Mahavira's doctrine that something in the process of being done is "done." He argued that a bed being spread is not yet "spread." This led him to declare Mahavira's teachings false, causing a division among his followers.
• The Doctrine of Bahuratavada: Jamali's core point of contention with Mahavira revolved around the interpretation of action and its completion. Mahavira adhered to Anekāntavāda (Non-absolutism), believing that an action in progress contributes to the final result and can be considered "done" in that context, with each step holding value. He emphasized continuous effort leading to fruition at every stage, discouraging the abandonment of tasks due to perceived delay or difficulty. Jamali, conversely, championed Bahuratavada, which posited that an action is only truly "completed" or "produced" when its final result is evident. He separated the effort from the outcome, seeing them as distinct. Mahavira found Jamali's absolute stance impractical and potentially detrimental, especially for those prone to impatience and seeking quick results.

The Schism and Jamali's Fate:

• Confrontation and Departure: Upon recovery, Jamali confronted Mahavira, claiming to tour like an 'Arhat' or 'Kevalin.' Gautama challenged him with fundamental questions about the world and the soul's eternality. Jamali's inability to answer highlighted his lack of knowledge compared to other disciples. Mahavira then explained the concepts, further revealing Jamali's limitations. Jamali, unable to accept Mahavira's teachings, left again, espousing his "wrong doctrine."
• Loss of Followers and Death: Jamali failed to gain substantial followers, with most of his fellow monks deserting him. Even his wife, Priyadarsana, initially followed him. However, a layman named Dhanka, a potter, used a burning coal to illustrate the flaw in Jamali's doctrine to Priyadarsana and her thousand nuns. This demonstration convinced them, and they rejoined Mahavira. Jamali was left alone and died after a fortnight's fast without expiating his sins, being reborn as a "low inferior god" (Kilbiṣika god).
• Mahavira's Knowledge and Initiation: Commentators questioned why Mahavira, being omniscient, initiated Jamali knowing his future deviation. They suggested that some destined events are unavoidable or that Mahavira saw some benefit in Jamali's initiation.
• Significance of the Controversy: The core difference between Mahavira and Jamali was Mahavira's emphasis on Anekāntavāda and the continuous, partial success in every step of an endeavor, versus Jamali's Bahuratavada, which focused solely on the final outcome and the completed state of an action. Mahavira's approach aimed to foster perseverance, prevent discouragement, and ensure steady progress in spiritual and worldly pursuits by valuing each step. Jamali's doctrine, by contrast, could lead to a premature abandonment of effort if immediate results were not visible, which Mahavira deemed dangerous for the average human disposition.

In essence, the text portrays Jamali as a gifted individual who, due to his flawed interpretation of action and completion, caused the first major division within the Jaina Sangha. His life serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of sustained effort, the value of each step in a journey, and the dangers of absolute pronouncements in understanding reality.