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

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S. B. DEO The Career and work of the Gañadharas :
All these ganadharas were well-versed in the Twelve Angas and the fourteen Purvās. Most of them died at Rāyagiha after a fast of one month.
Unfortunately, nine out of these eleven gañadharas died in the very life-time of Mahāvīra. The two to survive were Indabhūi Goyama who was the pet disciple of his Master, and Suhamma. The first died twelve years after Mahāvīra, and the latter twenty years after Mahāvīra's death.
Suhamma became the head of the Church after Mahāvira, and "the Nirgrantha Śramaņas of the present time are all spiritual descendants of the monk Suhamma".132 From the set formula at the beginning of the several Jaina canonical texts, Suhamma appears to have narrated these, as he had heard Mahāvīra tell them, to his disciple Jambu.133
One point regarding these ganadharas may not be ignored, and it is the fact that all of them were Brahmins. It may suggest two things. First, that among the Brahmins also an ideological revolution was taking place which is seen clearly in the Upanishads—as we have remarked elsewhere134 - which made them give up the traditional grooves of thoughts advocating ritualism. Or, secondly, it may mean that inspite of Mahavira's organisational ability and contact with the lower classes of the society, it was the intelligentia which included predominantly the Brahmins, that helped him in the spread of his faith. Even though, therefore, he advocated the principle of "spiritual democracy” in keeping open the doors of his Church to all classes and castes, it was the intelligent class who was not full of blind faith but was spurred by the firmness of conviction which it could express with convincing arguments, that furthered the cause of Mahavira.
ident Chartion Mah
The Schisms :
Inspite of his drive for reformation and the organisation of discipline in the Church, Mahāvīra had to face schisms in his own life-time. In all, eight principal schisms took place upto the origin of the major DigambaraSvetāṁbara division. Out of these the first two occurred in Mahāyira's life
time.
akkhāyar
etc. ...... upto .....
132. Kalpasūtra, SBE, xxii, p.
133. 'Suyam me ausar tena bhagavayā evar evam khalu Jambu'.
134. See Part I, Chapt. 3