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BHAGAWÄN MAHÄVIR
01 Bhagawän Mahävir
NUUTODUD
Bhagawan Mahavir delivering sermon from Samavasaran
About 2600 years ago, religion in India took on a very ugly turn. The management of the original four classes of society - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras had deteriorated. Brahmins were learned people and considered themselves to be very superior. The fate of Shudras or untouchables was terrible and they were required to serve the other castes forever performing the most degrading tasks. They were not allowed to engage in other professions. The importance of sacrifices as a symbol of giving up and renouncing had been misconstrued and it had taken on a very violent form. Animal sacrifices were performed regularly and people believed that these sacrifices would please the Gods and in return their wishes would be fulfilled.
Under such social and religious conditions, Mahävir was born in the month of Chaitra on the 13th day of the waxing (increasing in size) cycle of the moon in 599 BC as per the Indian calendar. This day falls in the month of April and is celebrated as Mahävir Janma Kalyanak day. He was born in the region known as Kshatriya-kund or Kundalpur in the present-day state of Bihar, India. His parents were King
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Siddhartha and Queen Trishalä. Queen Trishala was the sister of King Chetak, the King of Vaishäli. Bhagawan Mahävir had an older brother named Nandivardhan and a sister named Sudarshanä. The family's prosperity started increasing ever since Queen Trishalä conceived Bhagawan Mahävir, so they named him Vardhamän, which means to "increase”.
Birth celebration of Bhagawan Mahävir by 56 female celestial beings
From his early childhood he was intelligent, affectionate, and compassionate. At school he hardly needed any instruction. He excelled in all his subjects. He also proved to be quite fearless. Once when he was playing with his friends, a big snake appeared in the field. His friends were scared and ran away when they saw the snake but Vardhaman was unafraid. He caught the snake and put it in the nearby trees. On another occasion a giant monster came to frighten him but Vardhaman was unmoved. He was popularly known as Mahävir (very brave) since he showed a high level of courage and fearlessness.
At an early age, he realized that worldly happiness and pleasures do not last forever and are based mostly on the inconvenience, miseries, and unhappiness of others. He therefore planned to renounce his worldly life, his possessions, and worldly pleasures in search of true spiritual happiness. However, he knew that his parents would be very sad and hurt if he did this so he decided not to renounce his current life while they were still alive. His parents passed away when he was 28 years old. He was now ready to renounce his worldly life by giving up his family, friends, and possessions, but again postponed it for two more years at the request of his older brother, Nandivardhan. During this period he donated all his wealth to the poor and the needy.
Finally, at the age of 30, he renounced his worldly life and became a monk. Mahävir spent the next twelve and a half years in deep silence and meditation to conquer his desires, feelings, and attachments. He
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BHAGAWAN MAHAVIR
carefully avoided harming or annoying other living beings including animals, birds, and plants. During this time he also observed severe austerities, fasting most of the time, moving bare feet from place to place, and facing all types of hardships peacefully.
During this meditation period of twelve and a half years:
He faced a fierce and poisonous snake, Chandkaushik, and calmed him down with his compassionate approach
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He suffered peacefully when a farmer put nails in his ears
He accepted food from a house-maid, named Chandanbālā, to break his approximately 6 month long fast
He endured all adverse conditions and hardships caused by uncivilized people with patience and forgiveness
During this period, he progressed spiritually and ultimately destroyed all four destructive (Ghati) Karmas. In doing so, he realized perfect perception, perfect knowledge, perfect power, and perfect bliss. This realization known as Keval-jnän (omniscience or perfect enlightenment). Now, Mahavir became Bhagawan Mahavir or Mahävir-swämi. Bhagawän Mahävir spent the next thirty years traveling bare feet throughout India preaching the eternal truth that he had realized.
He attracted people from all walks of life, rich and poor, kings and commoners, men and women, princes and priests, touchables and untouchables. In matters of spiritual advancement, Bhagawan Mahavir envisioned that men and women were equal. The lure of renunciation and liberation attracted women as well. Many women followed Mahävir's path and renounced the world in search of the ultimate truth and happiness. He categorized his followers into a fourfold order: monks (Sädhus), nuns (Sädhvis), laymen (Shrävaks), and laywomen (Shrävikäs). This order is known as the Jain Sangha.
Bhagawan Mahavir's sermons were compiled orally in 12 books in the form of Sutras by his immediate disciples. These books are called Anga Ägam Sutras. Later, several learned Acharyas (Shruta Kevali Monks) compiled many more books to further explain the Anga Ägam Sutras. All these books are called Ägams or Ägam Sutras and are considered as the scriptures of Jain religion. These Ägam Sutras were passed on orally to future generations of ascetics. Over the course of time some of the Ägam Sutras were lost. Approximately one thousand years later the memorized Agam Sutras were organized and recorded on Tädpatris (palm leaves used as paper to preserve records for future references).
The ultimate objective of His teaching was how to attain total freedom from the cycle of birth and death and achieve a permanent blissful state. This blissful state is also known as liberation, nirvana, absolute freedom or Moksha.
This state is achieved when we get rid of our Karmas. We accumulate Karma through our vices such as anger, ego, deceit, and greed. Under the influence of Karma, the soul seeks pleasure in materialistic belongings and possessions. This is the deep-rooted cause of selfishness, anger, hatred, greed, violent thoughts & deeds, and other such vices. These result in further accumulation of Karmas. Bhagawän Mahävir preached that Right Faith (Samyag-Darshan), Right Knowledge (Samyag-Jnän), and Right
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Conduct (Samyag-Chäritra) together form the real path to get rid of Karmas which are attached to the soul.
At the heart of right conduct, lie the five great vows:
Non-violence (Ahimsa) Truthfulness (Satya) Non-stealing (Achaurya) Celibacy (Brahmacharya) Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha)
Not to cause harm to any living beings | To speak only the harmless truth Not to take anything that is not properly given Not to indulge in sensual pleasures Complete detachment from people, places, and material things
Jains hold these vows as the guiding principles of their lives. These vows can be fully implemented only with the acceptance of the philosophy of non-absolutism (Anekäntaväda). Monks and nuns follow these vows strictly and totally, while Shrävaks and Shrävikäs (lay followers) follow the vows as far as their ability and desire permits.
If the principles of Jainism are properly understood and faithfully adhered to they will bring contentment, inner happiness, and joy in the present life. This will elevate the soul in future reincarnations to a higher spiritual level, ultimately achieving perfect enlightenment.
At the age of seventy-two (527 B.C.), Bhagawan Mahävir attained Nirvana and his purified soul left his mortal body and achieved complete liberation. He became a Siddha, a pure consciousness, a liberated soul, living in a state of complete bliss forever. This event, known as Nirvana, occurred on the last day of the Hindu and Jain calendar. We celebrate it as Diwäli or Deepävali (festival of lights).
Significant points of the Teachings of Bhagawän Mahävir:
Mahävir-swämi made religion simple and natural, and free from elaborate ritual complexities. His teachings reflected the internal beauty and harmony of the soul.
Mahävir-swämi taught the significance of human life and stressed the importance of a positive attitude in
life.
Bhagawan Mahävir's message of non-violence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), non-stealing (Achaurya), celibacy (Brahmacharya), and non-possession/non-attachment (Aparigraha) is full of universal compassion.
Bhagawan Mahävir said, “A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh, but it is the abode of the soul which has the potential for infinite knowledge (Anant-Jnän), infinite perception (AnantDarshan), infinite happiness (Anant-Sukha), and infinite power and energy (Anant-Virya).” Mahävir's message reflects the freedom and spiritual joy of living beings.
Mahävir-swämi emphasized that all living beings, irrespective of their size, shape, form, and level of spiritual development are equal, and that we should love and respect them all. In this way, he preached the gospel of universal love.
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________________ BHAGAWAN MAHAVIR Mahavir rejected the concept of God as a creator, protector, and destroyer of the universe. He also denounced the worshiping of gods and goddesses as a means of material gain and personal benefits. Bhagawan Mahavir's last sermon at Pavapuri Jainism believes that any human being is capable of attaining Liberation. A Liberated soul is called Siddha or God. Bhagawan Mahavir is the 24th and last Tirthankar of this era. Bhagawan Mahavir's message of non-violence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), nonstealing (Achaurya), celibacy (Brahmacharya), and non-possession/ non-attachment (Aparigraha) is full of universal compassion. Bhagawan Mahavir propagated the concept of multiplicity of viewpoints known as Anekantavada. As all Tirthankars do, Bhagawan Mahavir revived and reestablished the Jain religious order (Jain Sangha) which flourishes to this day. Bhagawan Mahavir's preachings are compiled in several scriptures, collectively known as the Agam-sutras or Agams. JAIN STORY BOOK