Resolving Sectarian Rifts in Early Jainism: Prakrit Poetics and the Politics of Reconciliation (10th–12th CE)

Abstract:

This study examines how medieval Jain ācāryas employed specific Prakrit linguistic strategies to facilitate sectarian reconciliation during the intensified Śvetāmbara-Digambara conflicts of the 10th-12th centuries CE. Using systematic textual analysis and semantic field mapping, this research analyses commentaries on principal Āgama texts by Haribhadra Sūri, Abhayadeva Sūri, and Śīlāṅka Sūri. Three primary reconciliation strategies were identified: semantic neutralization through universal terminology, paradoxical formulation that validates diversity within unity, and hierarchical reframing using the vyavahāra-niścaya framework. Key reconciliation formulas such as “Savve jīvā piyāyarā” (all souls are beloved) and “Nānā-maggehi eko maggo” (through various paths, one path) demonstrate sophisticated peace-building discourse that transcends sectarian divisions by emphasizing shared soteriological foundations. The findings reveal that Prakrit functioned as a neutral linguistic medium, enabling commentators to address doctrinal disagreements while maintaining theological integrity. This research contributes to both Jain scholarship and contemporary peace linguistics by demonstrating how sacred languages can serve as effective tools for religious conflict resolution, offering insights relevant to modern interfaith dialogue and conflict mediation practices.

Keywords:

Prakrit linguistics, Jain sectarianism, Religious conflict resolution, Medieval Indian commentaries, Peace-building discourse.

Citation: Venus Jain and Pallavi Mohanan (2025). Resolving Sectarian Rifts in Early Jainism: Prakrit Poetics and the Politics of Reconciliation (10th–12th CE). Horizon J. Hum. Soc. Sci. Res. 7 (2), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.37534/bp.jhssr.2025.v7.n2.id1318.p58