The Missions of Jaina Sangha

J.C. Sikdar’s article surveys the historical missions through which Jainism spread across the Indian subcontinent. According to Jain tradition, the first major mission occurred during the 4th century BCE, when Acharya Bhadrabahu foresaw a twelve‑year famine and led a group of monks and Emperor Chandragupta Maurya to South India. This migration established the Jain centre at Shravanabelagola and contributed to the development of the Digambara tradition. Sikdar describes subsequent missions northward and westward. Emperor Samprati, the grandson of Ashoka, is said to have patronised the Jain community in Ujjain, though evidence for this remains conjectural. The article details how monks travelled to Gujarat, Rajasthan and the Deccan, founding stupas and temples and engaging in debates with scholars of other faiths. Jain merchants facilitated the spread of the faith through trade networks, building temples along caravan routes. In the east, Jain missionaries reached Bengal and Odisha, where they interacted with local rulers and left inscriptions. Sikdar emphasises that Jain missions were generally peaceful; monks relied on persuasion rather than force. The article also notes that royal patronage waxed and waned with political fortunes. Later missions during the medieval period faced competition from rising Hindu and Islamic movements; yet, Jainism persisted in pockets, thanks to the resilience of lay communities and the adaptability of monastic institutions. The author concludes that understanding these missions sheds light on the diversity of Jain traditions and their regional expressions.

Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.