History of Jaina Monachism

SR No.: 001727
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S B Deo
Publisher: Deccan College Research Institute
Publication Year: 1956
Total Pages: 616
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Principle, & History
File Size: 12 MB

Page 62

PART II
CHAPTER I
THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO JAINA MONACHISM
Whatever be the verdict of research, the Jainas attribute a remote antiquity to their religion. According to their statements, Jainism has been revealed again and again by various Tirthankaras whose chief mission in life was to propogate right knowledge (samyag jñāna), right faith (samyag darśana) and right conduct (samyag caritra) to the people steeped in ignorance about the reality. Rşabha:
Risaha or Usabha was the first among the twenty-four Tirthankaras. According to Jaina accounts he was born in Kosalā, and was the son of Kulakara Nābhi and queen Marudevi.'
Getting all the education which a prince needed, Rşabha lived as a prince for two millions of pūrvă years, and six millions three hundred thousand pūrvā years as a king.
As a king, he acted more as a founder of civilisation than as a despot not caring for the welfare of the subjects. King Rşabha taught his people the seventy-two arts (bāvattarim kalão), among which writing was the first, arithmetic the most important, and the science of omens the last. As against these seventy-two arts of men, he taught sixty-four arts to women as well. He introduced the arts of cooking, sculpture and pottery painting. He started the institution of marriage, and taught the people how to dispose of the dead.
At last, being disgusted with worldly life, he gave away his kingdom to his hundred sons, and renounced the world under an Asoka tree after pulling out his hair (loya) in four handfuls.
After two thousand years which he spent in bodily mortification and meditation, he got the kevalajnāna (omniscience). After becoming a kevalin, he had several disciples who were divided into eighty-four Gaņas, each of which was headed by a ganadhara.
He had a following as indicated below : Monks
... 84000 --headed by Rşabhasena. (2) Nuns
.. 300000 - headed by Brāhmisundari. (3) Laymen
.. 305000 - headed by Sreyāṁsa. (4) Laywomen
554000 -- headed by Subhadrā. BULL. DCRI.-8
(1)