Jainism in North India

SR No.: 011067
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London
Publication Year: 1932
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 3 MB

Page 151

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA prove thus At Pava the followers of Nigantha Nataputta were divided after the death of their great Tirthankara,1 We find that there were both ascetics and lay-devotees among these Jainas, for we read that, on account of the disputations among the ascetics, even the lay-disciples of the white robe, who followed Nataputia, showed themselves shocked, repelled and indignant at the Niganthas. These lay-Jains appear from this passage to have been draped in white robes, just as the Svetambaras are at the present day. The Buddha as well as Sariputta, one of the principal disciples, seems to have taken advantage of the schism that appears to liave overtaken the Jaina church on the death of their founder for the propagation of the rival faith. In the Pasadika Suttants we find that it is Cunda, the novice of Pava, who brings the news of the death of the great Tirthankara, Mahavira, to Ananda at Samagama in the Malla country, and the latter at once saw the importance of the event and said: 'Friend Cunda, this is a worthy subject to bring before the Exalted one. Let us go to him and tell him about it. They hastened to the Buddha, who delivered a long discourse "2 Moreover, from the Jaina sources we know that the Malla people were devotedly attached to Mahavira, the last prophet of the Jainas As already remarked, we are informed by the KalpaSutra that, to mark the passing away of the Great Jina along with the nine Licchavis, nine Mallakis or Malla chiefs also were among those who observed fast and instituted an illumination on the fifteenth day of the new month with the words "Since the light of the intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material matter." 3 Besides this it may be mentioned here that m the Antagada-Dasao, the eighth Anga of the Jainas, we get a reference to the Mallakis, along with the Ugras, the Bhogas, the Kshatriyas and the Licchavis, who went to receive Aritthanemi or Arishtanemi, the twenty-second prophet of the Jainas, when he went to the city of Baravai." Taking next the eighteen Ganarajas of Kasi-Kosala we find that they too, like the Mallakis and the Licchavis, were devoted to Mahavira. They also observed fast and instituted an illumination to mark the passing away of the Great Jina 5 Furthermore, 1 Buhler, op and loc cat Law (BC), op cit, pp 168-154 C Dalogues of the Buddha, pt 11, pp 208 ff., 208,212 * Jacobi, opal, p 266 Barnett, op cit, p 36 cf Kalpa-Sutra, Subodhha-Tiha, sul 128, P 121 108