Consider the following statements 1. Shvetembers and Digambers are two sects of Buddhism. 2. Chandragupta Maurya was converted into Jainism during his later life before dying. 3. Chalukya rulers of Gujarat and Ganga rulers of Karnataka were the great patrons of Jainism. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements 1. Shvetembers and Digambers are two sects of Buddhism. 2. Chandragupta Maurya was converted into Jainism during his later life before dying. 3. Chalukya rulers of Gujarat and Ganga rulers of Karnataka were the great patrons of Jainism. Which of the above statements is/are correct? Correct Answer 2 and 3 only

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

• Option 1 (incorrect) - Shvetembers and Digambers are two sects of Jainism.
• Option 2 (correct) - During his later life, Chandragupta Maurya became a Jain and went to Chandragiri hill and died by slow starvation.
• Option 3 (correct) - Along with other rulers, Chalukya rulers of Gujarat and Ganga rulers of Karnataka were the great patrons of Jainism.

Key Points

• Jains are divided into two communities – Shvetember and Digambar.
  • Digambar monks (like Mahavira) don’t wear any clothes. They include only men in their society.
  • The Shvetembers monks wear white clothes, and they include women too in their society.
• Chandragupta Maurya converted to Jainism in the later part of his life and died as a Jain monk in southern India near Sravanabelagola by starving himself to death.
  • According to Jaina tradition, Bhadrabahu, a Jain monk of the highest virtue, was instrumental in this historic conversion.
• From the fifth century A.D. onwards many royal dynasties of South India, such as the Gangas, the Kadambas, the Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas patronised Jainism. 
• Chalukya ruler Somadeva (tenth century A.D.) and Ganga ruler Nitimarga (twelfth century) gave liberal grants to Jain temples and installed many Jain figures.
• The Ganga Rulers (350 to 999 A.D.) of Talakada in Karnataka patronized the Jaina religion to a great extent.
  • In fact, the Ganga kingdom itself was a virtual creation of the famous Jaina saint Acharya Simhanandi and naturally, practically all Ganga monarchs championed the cause of Jainism.