Mahavira his Times and his Philosophy of Life

SR No.: 006504
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Harilal Jain, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith
Publication Year: 1977
Total Pages: 70
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, & Philosophy
File Size: 4 MB

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14. Literature on Mahāvīra's Biography (a) Biographies in Prakrit Lord Mahāvīra attained nirvāṇa in 527 B.C., and since then attempts were made to collect details about his biography. As stated by Virasena, the author of Dhavalā, Indrabhūti Gautama, the chief disciple of Mahāvīra , was a Brāhmaṇa of high character and possessed of the knowledge of four Vedas and six arigas. It is but natural that such a learned disciple should attempt a systematic compilation of the biography and teachings of his master. All such material is collected in twelve argas which are also known by the name dvādaśa Gani-pitaka. The twelfth ariga, Drşți-văda, contained a section Pratham-ānuyoga, which covered purāņic details of the genealogies of all the Tirthakaras, Cakravartins and other great men, as well as the history of the Nātha or Jñātr family and of Tirthakara Mahāvīra.
It is a misfortune that the literary material so put together by Indra-bhūti Gautama is no more available. But its details in short, are found scattered in the entire Ardha-Măgadhi canon available today. In the fourth arga, Samavāy-ārga, are intorduced some details about Tīrthakaras, their parents, birth places, locality of renunciation, pupils, the donors of food etc. In the Acārārga, which is the first śrut-ārga, there is available quite a vivid description of the penance of Mahāvira. In the fifth arga, Vyākhyā-prajñapti, there are thousands of questions and answers between Mahāvīra and Gautama, and there are available many glimpses of their lives and contemporary events. At that time, there ware many Pārsv-āpatyas, i.e., the followers of Pārsva-nātha; and Markhali Gośāla, who started the Ajīvika sect, also lived at the same time. During that period there ensued a great battle between the kingdoms of Magadha and Vaiśālī; and heavy missiles and mechanical weapons called mahā-sila-kantaka, ratha-musala etc. were employed in the fight. In the seventh arga, Upāsakādhyayana places connected with the life of Mahāvīra such
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