Jain Marriage - Status of Woman
By Dr. Vilas A. Sangve
It is a significant fact about man that when he wants to act, he does so in co-operation with others and not individually. He always tries to associate with others while performing a particular act and has to act from the very beginning of his life for the satisfaction of his elemental needs or impulses. By elemental impulses we mean those impulses which are original in human nature, in the sense that there are no peoples known to have failed to take account of them. Such impulses are hunger, love, vanity and fear and for their realisation man has evolved different massive social institutions. The social institutions of marriage and family arise out of the efforts made by mankind to adjust their activities with a view to satisfy their primordial appetite for sex-love. The institution of marriage thus tries to regulate the sexual acts of persons living in a group. The control of sex-impulse is the primary function performed by the institution of marriage. But marriage is something more than a regulated sexual behaviour. It is quite different from ordinary sexual union in the sense that marriage is more or less durable, it is recognized by custom or law, it requires some formality to celebrate the union and it gives rise to certain rights and duties both in the case of the parties entering the union and in the case of the children born of it. As the marriage determines the exact nature or relations of the parties constituting a union, it nor only regulates their sexual relations but also settles the problems of descent, inheritance and succession which arise out of marital union. Sometimes, the latter function is considered more significant than the mere regulation of sexual behaviour. Because of these characteristics of marriage which distinguish it effectively from ordinary sexual union, the institution of marriage occupies an important place in the life of a society.
The institution of marriage is based on sex-impluse. This sex-impulse is universal among all sorts of people, its intensity has got immense range and it is continuous with the people unlike animals. Because of these qualities it is quite essential to regulate sex-impulse in the interests of individual and society. As the satisfaction of sex-impulse is attended with good as well as bad results, it cannot be left unchecked on the ground that it is a natural urge. Taking into account the necessity of societal control on the free play of sex-impulse mankind has evolved many ways to a achieve that aim. It is proposed in this Chapter to discuss the methods adopted by the Jaina community to control the elemental impulse of love.
The Object Of Marriage : The object of marriage in Jaina community is definitely not the securing of satisfaction derived from sexual acts alone, though it may form a small part of the object. The main purpose of marriage is best explained by Pandita Asadharaji in the following manner :
A person should marry a girl endowed with good virtues if he wishes to have legitimate children, to get unperturbed sexual satisfaction, to enhance the conduct and prosperity of the family and to honour God, preceptor and other revered things. It is pertinent to note that in these objectives put before a married person, the first place has been given to begetting children and a subordinate position has been assigned to securing sexual pleasure. With a view to give more prominence to this aim of marriage, Acarya Jinasena has ordained that one should indulge in sex activity for the specific purpose of getting children and that too during the ovulation period.
This shows that it is the duty of householders to get married. The householders should strive to beget children and to protect them. Due to marriage continuity of the society is maintained and the Rule of Law (Dharma) is spread. The society is composed an increase in the number of the individuals comprising that community. That is why the main aim of marriage is to get legitimate children out of the wedlock.
Thus, among the Jainas, the main purpose of marriage is to maintain the continuity of human race by getting legitimate children. Here the institution of marriage is viewed clearly in its social aspect. There is no religious motive whatsoever in the contracting of marriage as such. The necessity of marriage arises to provide a legitimate outlet to sexual feelings and to maintain the continuity of human race. Both purposes are served by regulating the sexual behaviour of people through the institution of marriage. That is why among the Jainas, like Hindus, vivaha or marriage is generally considered as obligatory for every person and it is included in the Sarirasamskaras (i.e., sacraments sanctifying the body) through which every man and woman must pass at the proper age and time.
Though Jains and Hindus regard marriage as obligatory for every person, there is a great difference in their outlook in regarding so. While Jainas look at the problem from a purely social point of view. Hindus treat if from a religions point of view. Among the Hindus marriage is made compulsory for every person because the birth of a son is said to enable one to obtain Moksa. Again, it is believed by Hindus that one's progeny is considerably connected with and instrumental to happiness both in this world as well as hereafter. Moreover, the birth of a son is conceived by Hindus to be specially contributory towards helping the father to execute his obligations due to the departed ancestors - one of the three debts or obligations which every Hindu is bound to discharge. A Hindu has to marry and to beget a male child with a view to a void eternal damnation in hell after his death. According to Hindus, there is an intimate connection between marriage and the ultimate object in life viz., Moksa. As marriage has something to do with the emancipation of soul, marriage and religion are very closely connected with one another in Hindu society. Thus, the institution of marriage among Hindus loses its entirely social character, gets mixed up with religious behaviour of the people and becomes a religious act as such.
In the Jaina religion, on the contrary, marriage is not treated as a religious duty but is considered as a purely social act. It is regarded more in the nature of a civil contract than of a religious ceremony. Its object is to maintain the continuity of human race and not to obtain salvation by securing male offspring. Marriages are entered into for purely practical reasons and religion has nothing to order in this respect. It is not ordained in Jain religion to marry for emancipation of soul. Marriage is not concerned with life hereafter. When no offerings are to be made to the forefathers, the question of discharging obligations due to departed ancestors does not arise. Jaina scriptures do not lay down elaborate rules and regulations regarding marriage. Marriage is completely based on customs of people designed to adjust the life of persons in this world as it is not concerned with the happiness of persons hereafter. If marriage among Jains would have been based on their Agamas (i.e., basic religious books), it would have been practically the same throughout many centuries and there would not have been great diversity of customs regarding various aspects of marriage throughout the country. Since marriage practices of Jainas differ to a considerable extent, it is clear that the institution of marriage is based on local customs and not on holy scriptures. From this it need not be inferred that the Jaina holy books do not refer to marriage at all. They do discuss the subject of marriage but in this respect their basic stand is that a lawful wife is necessary for a man for the successful completion of his house holder's life. They do not prescribe any rules regarding the matters like her age, qualifications, gotra, caste, race, etc., as these are based on local customs. There is practically little relation between marriage customs and Jaina scriptures. It is true that sometimes we notice that in Jaina books while narrating particular events, references are made and opinions given on the marriage customs connected with the events. But we cannot accept such opinions as applicable for all places and times since such opinions were given by taking into account marriage customs prevailing at that time. This means that marriage customs referred to in Jaina books are not binding on Jainas for all time to come and they are free to devise their own customs according to local conditions.
In Hinduism there is a direct connection between marriage and religion. In Jainism, however, there is an indirect connection between marriage, like any other custom, and religion. For Jainas the ultimate object in life is the attainment of Moksa, i. e., liberation of soul from worldly bondage. The best way, according to Jainism, to achieve this aim is to perform right action along with right faith and right knowledge. The right action includes proper channelising of sexual practices with a view to lead an useful life which serves as a stepping stone for getting salvation. Moreover, religion depends for its existence on the number of its followers. The strength of the followers can be rightfully maintained through the procreation of legitimate children. Taking into account these considerations it can be stated that the object of marriage in Jainism is twofold, viz., (1) to give a legitimate outlet to sexual feelings so that the human being may rightly live a useful life, enjoying the fruits of Dharma, Artha and Kama, and thus be entitled to attain the great object - the Moksa; and (2) to promote the cause of Dharma (Law) by generating righteous and chivalrous sons and daughters. It is a duty of the householder to be contented with his own life and to contrive for the continuance of the human race.
Normality of Marriage : Though marriage, according to Jainas, is more in the nature of a civil contract than of a religious ceremony, it is enjoined upon every person to effect that contract. The Jaina philosophy no doubt gives more importance to the policy of renunciation. The strict observance of celibacy throughout whole life is definitely more valued than indulgence in sensual pleasures. But it would be a mistake to suppose from this that Jainism is against marriage. Persons who lead a complete celebrate life are highly appreciated, yet those who cannot follow that path are not denounced. There are many people who cannot practice the strict life of renunciation and such persons are advised to get married as the next best course. That is why marriage has been included in the Sarirasamskaras (i. e., sacraments that sanctify body) through which every Jaina must pass at the proper age and time. This arrangement, if not the fear of eternal damnation, as in the case of Hindus, makes it obligatory for every householder to give of his own accord his daughters in marriage before they attain puberty. Further, it has been ordained that those persons who will keep their grownup daughters in their homes without marrying them would fall from religion. In view of these injunctions parents rush in to contract the marriages of their children and as a result we find that in the Jaina community child-marriage was the order of the day until a few years ago.
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Source From : Jain Religion & Community
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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
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