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 66

HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
61 Sāgeya18 and Savatth7.19 From this it seems that he wandered chiefly in the modern provinces of Bihar and U.P. The Followers of Pārsva :
Pārsva seems to have collected a good number of adherents to his faith. The Kalpasūtra says that he had 16000 monks under Aryadatta, 38000 nuns under Puşpacūlā, 164000 laymen headed by Suvrata, and 327000 laywomen, the chief among whom was Sunandā. Besides these he had a number of monks as his disciples who were well-versed in the Pūrvās, and endowed with various supernatural powers, as also those who were destined to obtain liberation in that very birth.20
Among the royal followers may be mentioned king Paesi21 who was converted by Kesi,22 a disciple of Pārsva, prince Akkhobha,23 and the parents of Mahāvīra 24 Besides these, some of his distinct disciples were Kālāsavesiyaputta,25 Gangeya,26 Udaya Pedhālaputta, 27 Pundarīya,28 Pārsvā the nun,29 Mehila, Anandarakkhiya, Kāsava and others.30
These followers were termed as 'pāsăvaccijjā therā'.31
Buddhist Evidence :
Apart from the Jaina references to the followers of Pārsva, the Buddhist texts also refer to them. It may be noted that on these references JACOBI finally proved the pre-Mahāvīra antiquity of Jainism.32 These texts besides giving the details about his religion called as 'cāujjāma dhamma,' as we shall
18. Ibid., II, 9, p. 229;= Ayodhyā. 19. Ibid., II, 9, 10, p. 229; mod. Sahet-Mahet, CAGI, p. 469. 20. SBE., xxii, p. 274; also Smv. pp. 316, 65a, 101b, 103a, 104b.
21. Mention in the Payāsisutta of the Dighanikāya. It may be noted that the king was contemporary with Kesi who was a contemporary of Mahāvīra.
22. Uttar., 23. 23. Atgd., p. 6. 24. SBE., xxii, II, 15, 16 (p. 194). 25. Bhag., p. 99aff. 26. Ibid., pp. 439ff. 27. Stkr., II, 7 (pp. 419ff); Thân., p. 457.
Nāyā., Chapt. 19.
Thān., p. 457b. 30. Bhag., 2. 5. 31. Thān. p. 457b; Bhag. pp. 136ff, 247b.
32. SBE, xlv, pp. XIV-XXI; I.A., IX, pp. 158-63; also see CHARPENTIER CHI, i, p. 153; DASGUPTA, Hist. of Ind. Phil. i, p. 173.