Acharya Hasti Mala
Ācārya Prabhā Candra (early part of Vikram 14th century) brought to light the fact that history of Jainism from V.N. 1000 for the next 5 to 700 years is totally in the dark and forgotten. This is the reason that for these years (5 to 700 years) we cannot find any chronological listing of ācāryas and trends of changes taking place in the practice of Jainism.
So, Ācārya Prabhā Candra made a firm resolve to bring to light the history of Jainism after its description in 'Pariśiṣṭa Parva' by Ācārya Hema Candra. He worked very hard to achieve this objective but could not succeed hundred percent the way he wanted (originally perceived). He, therefore had to feel contented, in spite of his untiring and strenuous hard work, by writing life of 21 influential ācāryas (at random and not in any chronological order) during the period in Vikram year 1345 in his book 'Prabhāvaka caritra' life sketch of influential preceptors.
Similarly many scholars after Ācārya Prabhā Candra continued to attempt to write the chronological history of Jainism from V.N. 1000 to V.N. 1700 but none could succeed fully.
During this aforesaid period, based on the writings in many manuscripts, we find the practice of Jainism became more on false external rituals claimed as religion gaining popularity across the country from Himalayas in the north to the sea coasts in the south. This pervert practice was adopted and supported by various sections of the ācāryas and especially the kings and their clans. This scenario reminds one of the very different Jain religion and tradition established and propounded by Lord Mahāvīra during his time. Thus the tradition of ācāryas and followers alike of the true path of spiritual purification of the Śramaṇika tradition, if not completely forgotten had mostly gone into dark and forgotten.
However, the tradition of pure doctrine and conduct associated with the fundamental concept of detachment, somehow continued to exist, even though it had been mostly overshadowed and forgotten and replaced by tradition of pervert external religious practices which prospered by leaps and bounds in popularity.
Slowly and slowly, the practice of psychical /mental contemplation and worship were being gradually replaced by those traditions which involved pervert material offerings and objects. Glamour of material offerings and religious ambience started attracting the minds and interests of the common followers and monks alike towards these. The profounder' of these pervert traditions kept on adding innovative techniques in making such pervert external rituals involving material offerings and ambience to further enhance their attractions for the common people. Influenced by the popularity of such innovations, majority of śramaṇa monks also joined them and started preaching the same. The group which introduced the maximum number of innovations became the most popular group and hence representing the successful, largest, original and true Jain doctrine and practice. Large groups of monks also gave up the true path of spiritual purification and became supporters of these material offering based traditions. All these developments resulted in the almost total eclipse of the fundamental principles of spiritual purification as propagated by Lord Mahāvīra. Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra experienced the pains of all living beings categorized as ṣad jīvanikāya or having six categories of bodies while preaching his religious creed.
Even though the crisp details of the doctrine and conduct were given in the scriptures; yet the śramaṇas who became proponents of these pervert material offering worships and rituals started promoting building temples and idols therein and their worship using material offerings involving violence of all types i.e. committing by self or asking others to be violent or support those who commit violence. Such acts caused irreparable damage to the true and pure doctrine and right conduct of śramaṇas. Gradually the followers of śramaṇa tradition started forgetting and becoming unfamiliar with the original doctrine.
The śramaṇas who were familiar with and could preach the original doctrine and right conduct became few and far between and the number of their followers also shrank considerably. All these developments resulted in the almost total eclipse of the pure śramaṇa tradition and its being replaced by the rising of new pseudo tradition of pervert religious rituals using external material offerings. Laxity in the conduct was not the only reason for these developments. There were other developments as well, some of which are listed below:
- Decay in the capacity of śramaṇas and people in general to endure physical and mental afflictions as a result of changing times.
- Effect of Huṇdā-avasarpiṇī era: As a result of this monks following the true path of spiritual purification gradually switched over to the path supporting lax conduct. They thus became more interested and promoted the external rituals involving material offerings as religious rituals rather than practicing and preaching the true path of spiritual purification.
- Effect of inauspicious planets i.e. inauspicious planets or Bhasmgraha (constellation of destruction).
- Accepting the religious rituals of other religion as its (śramaṇa) own to protect the changeover and ill effects on their own (śramaṇa) followers. There are many incidences recorded when Jains, under the strong influence of prevailing Buddhist, Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava religions started to organise large religious functions and worship rituals so as to protect their own religion.
- To protect their religion from attacks from their opponents, these śramaṇas felt it essential to seek political patronage and keep their follower rulers coming to them? So they started according religious approval to several acts not commensurate with the śramaṇa tradition etc.
- Lack of influential śramaṇas after Devardhigaṇi Kṣamāśramaṇa who had some knowledge of prior canons. Due to this fact, a number of śramaṇas and śramaṇīs started giving up the right conduct and accepted laxity therein.
All the aforesaid developments associated with coward śramaṇas who were scared to endure afflictions further made the matter worse. They gave up the practice of temporary stay at one place randomly, continuous wandering from place to place, enduring afflictions, seeking and accepting faultless food from religious householders, complete no possession of worldly things etc which were considered as essential components of śramaṇa conduct. They gave up all such activities and instead introduced laxity to suit them e.g. permanent stay at temples and monasteries, starting kitchens to feed the Lord and accept delicious food prepared there for their own consumption, accepting and owning money, precious material items, land, farm produce etc and use these as their private property. They promoted donation of chatras (canopies), whiskbrooms, palanquins, chariots, rich seats and thrones, servants, expensive items, massages, cushions, perfumes, betel leaves and nuts etc and making these as accepted practices for the monks. Thus these monks started acquiring and owning colossal wealth and using it to influence others. They started organizing religious discourses, kīrtanas, bhajans on the accompaniment of musical instruments, expensive pūjās etc of different types to attract their followers and others from different traditions. Thus these monks practicing total laxity in their conduct became monks just in the name sake. The doctrine and the tenets of right conduct as promulgated by omniscient lords did not exist in the name with these monks practicing permanent stay in temples and monasteries.
Not only that, these monks who were overenthusiastic in earning self-praise and popularity after the death of Devardhigaṇi Kṣamāśramaṇa, and became famous and influential Jains, indulged primarily in promoting the use of mantras, tantras, invoking and worshipping goddesses Jwālāmālinī and Padmāvatī for worldly gains. Thus they attracted hordes of followers in their cult from everywhere and enhanced their popularity. To further fan their growing greed for worldly power and fame, they started actively participating in political, governmental and social activities and pursuits. Some examples of such Ācāryas are given below:
- Rājaguru Jain Muni Candra of King Kārttavīrya and his son King Lakṣmī Deva of Veṇugrāma (Belgāma of Samprati era); not only actively participated in the governance but also led the military coup on their behalf to extend their territorial boundaries and establish them as prosperous empire. Jain Muni Candra was not only an expert in Jain religion but also in warfare. Jain Muni Candra considered himself fit for the highest civilian honours. He was also the foremost amongst the most powerful and influential ministers and pillars of the Raṭṭa lineage, and established himself as the foremost amongst all ministers and colleagues due to his political acumen and administrative capabilities.
- Ācārya Sudatta (other name Ācārya Vardhamāna Deva). He ordered Yaduvaṃśī prince Sala (Poyasala), "O Sala! Kill the tiger that is attacking him (Ācārya Sudatta)" Obeying Ācārya Sudatta, prince Sala killed the tiger. Ācārya Sudatta became extremely happy for this brave act of prince Sudatta. He therefore named prince Sala as Hoyasala and extended all kinds of help and advice to establish the state of Hoyasala (Hoyasala) and anointed him as the prince-in-exile of the state of Hoyasala. Later on Ācārya Sudatta helped him to be the first King of Hoyasala and make Hoyasala a powerful dynasty during the kingships of his son prince Vinay Aditya (1st) and Vinay Aditya's son Nṛapakāma.
- Ācārya Śānti Deva greatly helped Vinayāditya (II) to acquire the royal wealth.
- Ācārya Siṃha Nandi of Kāṇaragaṇa imparted martial training to princes Daḍiga and Mādhava and anointed them with his own hands as princes to establish a powerful Jain empire called 'Gaṃga Rājya'. After putting them on the throne as the first king, he gave them sermons and teachings in seven arts of which the last one was 'Never to run away cowardly from the battlefield'. He further said, 'if you run away like cowards from the battle field, then on the same day your empire will be destroyed'.
In 9th century AD, Jain monk Arka Kīrti with the power of his mantras cured permanently Vimalāditya, the administrator of Kunaṃgala Pradeśa of the severe occult fears and problems he was facing. Sāmanta Cāki Rāja of Rāṣṭrakūṭa who was also the chief administrator of the entire Gaṃga empire also became so happy with this miracle performed by Arka Kīrti that he requested (and got the same gifted) his employer / ruler, King Govinda-III to gift the village 'Jāla Maṃgala' to Jain monk Arka Kīrti.
Jain monk Arka Kīrti in this way, who should have been dedicated to the practice of the path of right belief-knowledge-conduct for spiritual purification, instead became totally engaged blindly in the worldly pursuits and wasted his monk-life.
All such developments resulted in Jains of different congregations and gacchas profusely trying to make kings, prominent personalities, chiefs of armed forces, ministers and advisers and elders of the community their followers. Whosoever ācārya was able to make the biggest king his follower was regarded as the biggest ācārya of that time and his congregation was considered as the most powerful, true and biggest congregation. Ācārya who became the Rājaguru (religious ācārya or teacher of the king) was automatically considered as the ācārya of the entire population. Thus such powers became a yardstick of ācārya's success. Therefore the ācāryas of that time became deeply engrossed in devising ways and means to make the king their follower thereby enhancing the prestige of their congregation and enlarge the number of their followers.
Those worldly practices, which were strongly refuted by Lord Mahāvīra, were patronized and practised by Jainācāryas of this period by totally ignoring the sacred spiritual practices. By propagating the religious rituals involving material offerings, these Jain śramaṇas and congregations greatly hurt and damaged irreparably doctrine of nonviolence which is fundamental and the very essence of Jainism. Use of materials such as water, flowers, etc having innumerable subtle living beings result in violence against them. Similarly incense, sandalwood power, lighted oil lamps for circumnutating around the Jina idols and offerings result in killing of air, water and fire bodied living beings by the devotees. This pervert custom of idol worship and rituals involving material offerings started in and around early parts of A.D. (after the death of Jesus Christ) era i.e. 500-1000AD. Samanta Bhadra (Vikram 7th to 8th century) was perhaps the first Jainācārya who included idol worship as a part of training vows (Śikṣā vratas) and made it as a part of the code of conduct of the householders. Ācārya Soma Deva (Vikram 11th century) included idol worship in the vow of periodical contempaltions (Sāmāyika). These ācāryas greatly enhanced their influence over kings, elders and common people alike. Prominent ācāryas like Pūjya Pāda, Jina Sena, Guṇa Bhadra, Soma Deva, Sudatta and Municandra etc had significant influence over kings of their times. Śramaṇas and monks of this period were not only the advisers of religion and path of liberation but they also became advisers of worldly pursuits of the householders.
These Jain monks took active and proactive interest in governance and associated politics. Such acts of Jains prove that they openly renounced, crossed all limits and even totally ignored the ancient sacred fundamentals and traditions of śramaṇa tradition. In this way gradually the sacred and ancient tradition was almost destroyed. The right and scriptures based code of conduct for śramaṇas and monks became feeble and its residues stayed in the hindsight only.
