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FADAOSAOAONDANUNUNUNUNGAN
the ideal followed by preceding Tirthankars. Also by acting according to the ideal conduct Bhagavan set an emphatic example for the future ascetics to follow.
The Tirthankars have to preach the code of religious conduct giving due consideration to aptitude, capacity, endurance, place, time, ability and other such parameters related to the future disciples. This is called anudhármita.
Acharya Mahaprajna ji has interpreted anudharmita as--to follow the conduct of earlier Tirthankars. It is possible that during the times of Bhagavan Parshvanath, norms of using three, two and one clothing and also remaining non-clad were prevalent. Bhagavan Mahavir initially used one clothing and then became unclad. This was his anudharmita (following the doctrine).
In the Pali dictionary anudhammata word is mentioned. It means-conforming to religion; in accordance with religion. This also confirms the interpretation in compliance with the religious conduct followed by earlier. Tirthankars.
The commentator (Churni) says-Bhagavan used that piece of cloth as it was for one year; he did not discard it. This means that till the beginning of the thirteenth month his shoulder did not become free of that cloth. This is because all Tirthankars get initiated with one clothing as their possession. Although Bhagavan had mentally discarded that cloth, it remained on his shoulder as a sign of the traditional norm. When he saw it caught in a bush drifting in the Svarnabaluka river he said—“Vosirami (I renounce dress or cloth)."
The inference is that Bhagavan got initiated with one clothe and later became non-clad. This was done in compliance with the tradition.
In the commentary of Kalpasutra and other works like Mahavir Chariyam the incident of discarding this cloth is connected with the उपधान-श्रुत : नवम अध्ययन
( 898 ) Upadhan-Shrut : Ninth Chapter
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