Comprehensive History Of Jainism

SR No.: 022803
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Aseem Kumar Chatterjee
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 28 MB

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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF JAINISM
nomical details seriously, which are scattered throughout Jaina literature and specially in connection with the description of the lives of the Tīrthamkaras. He was christened Vardhamāna, 'the increasing one', because the family treasure went on increasing from the moment of his birth.22 He was also known by two other names: Samaņa and Mahāvīra. We are told that the people called him Samana because he was always engaged in penances, and Mahāvīra because he nurtured no fear and was unafraid of danger.23 The canonical texts also refer to him by such names as Nātaputta, 21 Vesālia2 and Videhadiņņa.26 The first name was evidently the more popular since it is constantly referred to in the Buddhist texts. Mahāvīra was called 'Vesālia' because he was born in a suburb of that city. As his birthplace lay within the territory of Videha, he was given the name 'Videhadinna'.
We have seen, in connection with our discussion of Pārsva, that Mahāvīra's parents themselves were followers of the former. Since this statement is found in the Ācārānga, one of the oldest texts of the Jainas, its authenticity cannot be questioned. This implies that Mahāvīra himself grew up under the shadow of Pārsva's religion. There is little doubt that Siddhartha and Trisalā scrupulously taught him in his boyhood the Nirgrantha doctrine of four principal restraints as preached by the great thinker from Kāśi. As his birthplace was near the great city of Vaiśālī, it is very probable that Mahāvīra came into contact not only with Pārsva's followers in his early youth, but also with other thinkers of that celebrated city. There is little doubt that this city was founded centuries before the birth of Mahāvira and the Buddha. According to the Rāmāyana, the kings of this city were known for their large-heartedness and religious disposition. The combined testimony of the Jaina and Pāli texts indicate that the city had a number of shrines, mostly dedicated to yaksas, in sixth century BC. In the famous28 Mahāparinibbāna Suttanta of the Dīgha Nikāya a number of such shrines are mentioned, namely Sārandada, Cäpāla, Udena, Gotamaka, Bahuputta, and Sattamba. From the Pātika Suttanta” of the same work we further learn that Udena was to the east of Vaiśālī, Gotamaka to the south, Sattamba the west, and Bahuputta to the north. The shrine of Bahuputta, it is useful to note, was once visited by Mahāvīra, as is vouched for by the evidence of the Bhagavati. 30 Another shrine in this city mentioned in the Bhagavatīwas Komdiyāyaṇa, where Gośāla performed his sixth pauttabarihāra (entering into another's dead body). I will elsewhere