________________
The Oldest Living Religion
13:
E. W. Hopkins ---"The Niganthas are never referred to by the Buddhists as being a new sect, nor is their reputed founder Nätaputta spoken of as their founder whence Jacobi plausibly argues that their real founder was older than Mahāvira and that this sect preceded that of Buddhism".1
Thus practically all the modern scholars, both western and eastern, including Prof. Max Muller, Oldenberg, Bendole, Sir Monier Williams, Sir W. W. Hunter, Harvey, Wheeler, Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar, Dr. K. P. Jay aswal, B. G. Tilak, etc. have no doubt as to the greater antiquity of Jainism over Buddhism.
Moreover, the historicity of Lord Pārsvanātha? (877-- 777 B. C.) who preceded Mahāvira by 250 years, and was the 23rd Tirthankara of the Jainas, has now been upanimously accepted. He was the son of King Afva Sena of Kāśı, of the Uraga Vamsa (also called Kāśyapa Vamsa). and was a descendent of en peror Brahmadatta (a historical figures) who was the last of the twelve chakravartins of the Jaina tradition.
"That Pārsva was a historical person is now admitted by all as very probable”, says Jacobi.
1. Religion of India, p. 283.
2. Cambridge History of India, p. 153—which fully endorses this view, as also does the Encycl. of Religion. and Ethics, vol. VII.
3. Dr. H. C. Roy Choudbry — Political History of Ancient India, p. 47. He says that at his time Kāśt was the predominent state and that according to the Satapatha Brāhmaṇa ( xiii 5, 4, 19 ) these kings of Kāší were antagonistic to Vedic Sacrifices.
4. Jain Sutras–S.B.E., XLV. Introd.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
