Agam 33 Prakirnak 10 Viratthao Sutra

Author(s): D S Baya
Publisher: Agam Ahimsa Samta Evam Prakrit Samsthan

Page 38

PREFACE : XXXVII
Pt, Dalasukhbhai Malavaniya writes that before Lords Mahāvīra and Buddha, the adjectives Arahanta and Arhata used to be so employed in the Brahmin tradition as well but after their time these have been used for them only. The word Buddha was in vogue for the learned but after Lord Buddha this became rooted as His epithet only.
The word Jina was also employed for all the great sense conquered saints but later Jina, too, became rooted as an epithet for the Jaina Tīrtharkaras only and their followers came to be known as the Jainas.28
Mahāvīra's Names In The Ācārānga --
The oldest work to yield any information about Lord Mahāvīra is the Ācārārgasūtra. Although this is basically a canonical work devoted to monastic discipline and ethics, the ninth chapter - Upadhānaśruta - in its first part (Srutaskandha) presents a glimpse of the events related to His life. In this work the Lord has been referred to as Bhiksu during the time of His spiritual practices before enlightenemnt.29 Similarly, the name Jñātaputra, denoting His clan identity is also available.30 The attributal names like Māhana, Nānī and Mehāví have been used for the Lord in the same chapter.31 These three names do not appear in the Vīrastava Prakirnaka
The adjectives like Bhagavam, Bhagavnate, Bhagavaya, etc have been frequently employed in the Acārāriga to show veneration for the Lord. The word Vīra is seen in the first part of the Acārāriga, but there it has been employed to denote a person of
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Ācārārga, 9/2/12. Ācārānga, 9/1/10. Ibid, 9/1/16, 9/23, etc. Samane Bhagavam Mahāvīre..... (Ācārānga, 9/1/1, 9/2/5, 9/3/7) Mahāvīra Caritta Mīmāmsā, Pt. Dalsukhbhai Malavaniya, p. 14.