The last significant fact
about Jaina ethics is the prescription of one common ethical code to all
people irrespective of their worldly position and stage in life. It has
already been brought out that the rules of conduct are exactly the same
both for laymen and ascetics with the only obvious difference that while
the former observe them partially, the latter have to observe them
strictly. Thus in Jaina religion the ascetic life is considered to be a
extension of house-holder's life and it is pertinent to note that this has
fostered intimate relationship between the two main divisions of society
viz., Ascetics and Householders, that is, sadhus and sravakas, of the
Jaina community. Again, it may be emphasized that as the sadhus or
ascetics are not generally recruited directly from outside the Jaina
community, but are taken from the sravakas or householders, a feeling of
oneness is created so far as the spiritual enterprise of the people is
concerned.
It is, therefore, worth
mentioning that since spiritual upliftment was the main aim of the people,
common practices in spiritual enterprise brought the laymen and the monk
together and that this was the prime factor in the survival of Jainism. It
cannot be doubted that this, between the sravakas or laymen and the sadhus
or ascetics affinity brought about by the similarity of their religious
duties, differing not in kind but in degree, has enabled Jainism to avoid
fundamental changes within, and to resist dangers from without for more
than two thousand years; while Buddhism, being less exacting as regards
the laymen, underwent most extraordinary changes and finally disappeared
from the country of its origin.
Thus it can be maintained
that the prevalence of one common ethical code among both major divisions
of Jainas, viz., the sadhus and the sravakas, has chiefly been responsible
for the continuity of Jaina community in India for so long a time in spite
of opposition from other faiths.
