Jain Society in the Reign of Jain Kings

Summary

Satya Ranjan Banerjee’s essay surveys Jain society from antiquity to the sixteenth century through the lens of rulers who either professed Jainism or were influenced by Jain teachers. Because reliable historical records are scarce, the author relies on Jain canonical literature, historical chronicles, inscriptions and later commentaries to reconstruct sociocultural conditions. The essay begins with the pre‑historic and Vedic eras, noting that the Jain tradition claims Rsabha, the first Tirthankara, and subsequent Tirthankaras to have been kings who introduced agriculture, script and civilising arts. Although these claims cannot be corroborated, they illustrate how Jains see their religion as intertwined with the origins of civilisation. In the Vedic age there is little evidence of Jain rulers, but the tradition identifies a line of Tirthankaras culminating in Parsvanatha and Mahavira, whose fathers were rulers. During Mahavira’s time lay Jains appear prosperous, as described in the Upasakadasasatra, which depicts householders keeping cattle and gold and enjoying a luxurious life. Early canonical texts emphasise education: even children were sent to art schools and monks were expected to study for hours each day. Monks and laypeople revered knowledge, and communities maintained libraries and debate halls. As the survey moves into the historical period, it highlights royal patrons like King Kunika of Magadha, Caranasena of the Nanda dynasty and the Maurya emperor Candragupta (according to Svetambara tradition) who supported Jainism. The most detailed account is of Kumarapala of Gujarat, who, under the influence of Hemacandra, embraced Jainism and declared it the state religion. Kumarapala outlawed animal slaughter, gambling and drinking, lavishly endowed temples at Mount Abu and Girnar and patronised scholarly works. Hemacandra’s writings offer insights into social structure during his reign: four varnas and many tribes coexisted; a middle class lived comfortably; different professions enjoyed rights; and education flourished through gurukulas and monastic academies where Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apabhramsa were studied along with Vedas, Puranas, grammar, philosophy, poetics and medicine. The article then turns to Vastupala and Tejapala, two Jain ministers in thirteenth‑century Gujarat who were not kings but did more than many rulers to promote Jain art and literature. They sponsored temples, encouraged poets like Akalanka and Udayaprabha and were celebrated by Buddhists, Vaisnavas and Saivas alike for their tolerance; a verse in the Puratana‑prabandha‑samgraha praises Vastupala as being honoured by all religious communities. Banerjee also discusses Jain influence on broader Indian traditions, such as Jinasena’s formulation of the caturasrama system later adopted by Hinduism, and the classification of lay followers into nama, sthapana, dravya and bhava categories by Santisuri and Asadhara. The later sections recount Emperor Akbar’s decree banning animal slaughter on certain days, a boon obtained through Jain lobbying, and royal grants by Shah Jahan to Jain shrines. The essay concludes that although Jain rulers were few and their political achievements modest, Jain monks and laity were integrated into Indian society, respected for their learning and ethics, and influenced cultural and social developments beyond the confines of their own community.