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SHRAMAN MAHAVIR
Anuvratas They were called shravaka and shravikas (the male and the female initiated ones)
Hitherto the Lord's concern had been with his own spiritual welfare Now his energies were channelised to commonweal
Lord Mahavira founded the fourfold tirthas (literallyshrines) of monks, nuns, shravakas and shravikas and became the Tirthankar Hitherto the Lord was an individual and led an individual existence How he became the organisation incarnate and the vista of his organisational existence was thrown wide open
The Lord had not attended to his own welfare selfishly His action had been motivated by a time-honoured principle An empty shell cannot fill others One who possesses nothing can hardly award anything to others One can inspire others to attain accomplishment by himself being triumphant first Enlightenment can be granted to others by first attaining enlightenment Others can be aroused by one who is already aroused Once the Lord was enlightened the process to enlighten others was set in
