Study in the Origins and Development of Jainism

SR No.: 006576
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S N Shrivastava
Publisher: Rekha Publication Gorakhpur
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 162
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 8 MB

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A Study in the Origins and Development of Jainism
kaivalya Mahāvīra set him on the career of a religious teacher and his first achievement was the conversion of eleven learned Brāhmaṇas. The names of these first disciple are: Indra bhūti, Agnibhūti, Vãyubhūti, Vyakta, Sudharma, Mandikata, Mauryaputra, Akampita, Achalabhrātā, Metārya and Prabhāsa. The Jain texts mention the names of their gotra and place of residence also. In the Digambara tradition the names of these gasadharas are Indrabhūti, Vãyubhūti, Agnibhūti, Sudharma, Maurya, Maundra Putra, Mãitreya, Akampana, Andhavela or Anvachela and Prabhāsa.
The fact that all these first converts of Mahāvīra belonged to the Brāhmaṇa class clearly indicates that the animosity between the brāhmaṇas and sramaņas which we find in the centuries to follow was not in existence in the beginning.
Mahāvīra wandered far and wide propagating his creed. Late Jain texts describe his wandering exhaustively the details of which are harldy acceptable. The names of the place where he passed his thirty rainy seasons are stated to be :(1) Rājagriha, (2) Vaišãli, (3) Vānijyagrãma, (4) Rājagriha, (5) Vāņijyagrāma, (6) Rājagriha, (7) Rājagriha, (8) Vaiśāli, (9) Vaišãli, (10) Rājagriha, (11) Vānijyagrāma, (12) Rājagriha, (13) Rājagiri, (14) Champã, (15) Mithilā, (16) Vānijyagrāma, (17) Rājagriha, (18) Vānijyagrāma, (19) Vaiśāli, (20) Vaišãli, (21) Rājagriha, (22) Nãlandã, (23) Vaiśāli, (24) Vaišãli, (25) Rājagriha, (26) Nãlandã, (27) Mithilã, (29) Rājagriha, (30) Apãpãpuri.
Slowly and gradually the numbers of the followers of Mahāvīra increased. He succeeded in convincing most of the followers of Pārśva Nãtha to join his saṁgha. In this task he was helped by his eleven gañadharas who were well-versed in the Jain doctrine. There was no restriction of class, caste and sex in joining the samgha. As such people of all sections accepted his creed. Those who could not join the order as