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LORD MAHĀVĪRA'S ANUDHĀRMIKA CONDUCT
It is an established fact that Mahāvīra's parents were the followers of Lord Pārsva, the 23rd Tirthankara of the Jainas. It is also a fact there were some of the followers of Pārsva who did not accept Mahāvīra as their tirthankara in the beginning but later on accepted his authority. As regards Mahāvīra himself, we know from the tradition that he was the last tirthankara of this age. It means that he must have followed the tradition of Pārsva. In this note, I propose to discuss some of the references to the effect that he followed the old tradition.
Achārānga, the oldest amongst the Jaina literature clearly refers to Mahāvīra's anushammiya conduct in these words :
णो चेविमेण वत्थेण पिहिस्सामि तंसि हेमंते । से पारए आवकहाए एयं खु अणुधम्मियं तस्स
१. ९. १. गाथा २ The word anudhammiya is explained in chürni as gatānugata, meaning thereby the traditional law.
___This meaning of the word अणुधम्मिय i. e. 'traditional law' is supported by other textual references also :
१ 'कासवस्स अणुधम्मचारिणो' सूत्रकृ० १. २. २. २५ २ 'एसोऽणुधम्मो इह संजयाणं ।' सूत्रकृ० २. ६. ४१ ३ 'एसोऽणुधम्मो इह संजयाणं ।' सूत्रकृ० २. ६. ३५
In all these references the word अणुधम्म-अनुधर्म-means the traditional Law.'
The meaning of the word 3Toei will be quite clear from the following discussion of Niśītha Chūrni :
'अणाइण्णा' णाम अणासेवितं ति वुत्तं भवति । ते य सव्वेहिं तित्थयरेहिं गोयमादिहिं य गणधरेहिं
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