Agama And Tripitaka Comparative Study

Author(s): Nagaraj Muni
Publisher: Today and Tomorrows Printers and Publishers

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since at places, La
Mahavira's opposai who left the
very old, the Buddhist order finds no mention whatsoever, whereas there are copious items and events of the Jaina interest including Mahavira and his followers which have been widely recorded in the Buddhist Tripitakas, - all directed to the same purpose which is to establish the inferiority of Mahāvira and his order in order to highlight the superiority of the Buddha and his order. Comparing the texts from the two sources, one cannot but be struck by this wide divergence between these two. One explanation for this may be that Mahavira and his followers were much more interested in self and turned inward that they did not bother as to what was going on to others or elsewhere; but this cannot be the whole explanation since at places, even the Jaina texts have taken interest in others, for instance, in Gośālaka, Mahāvira's opponent, who has been depicted as a villian of the worst type, or in Jamali, who left the organisation of Mahāvira, and in innumerable Tāpasa monks who practised spirituality in a wrong way. Why then this complete blackout on the Buddha and his followers.
The only reason for this which may appeal to the intellect may be that Mahāvira was senior to the Buddha in age. He was initiated earlier, attained the supreme knowledge earlier and was earlier to deliver his first sermon. In fact, he was already established when the Buddha entered into the stage. Buddha being younger, he had yet to win acceptance. Among his rivals, the most important was Mahāvira; so he and his followers tried again and again to come up by decrying from time to time Mahāvira[26]. At a later period, even Sankarācārya in his commentary on the Brahmma Sūtra has followed the suit. Assuming the Sankhya view as his principal adversary, he has discussed it at length and in trying to demolish it, he has assumed the demolition of the rest [27]. The influence of Mahavira was so well secured in Society that he felt no danger to 26. In the beginning Buddha himself practised the Jaina austerities. But he
was not successful. Vide the present text pp. 27. Sarvavyākhyāna dhikaraṇam, 28.
Etena sarve vyākhyāta vyakhyatah, 28/ 1.4.28. Iksaternā sabdam (1.1.5) ityārabhya pradhānakāranavā da sūtrai-reva punah punarasankya nirākrtah... devalaprabhṛtibhisca kaisciddharmasūtrakāraih svagrantheśvasritah tena tatpratiședhe eva yatno'tiva kịto nānvādikāraņavā dapratişedhe / te'pi tu brahmakaranavādapakşasya pratipakşatvātpratişeddhvyāh/.. ataḥ pradhanamalla nibarhananyāyenātidisati - etena pradhanakarana-vādapratisedhanyāyakalāpena sarve'nvā di kāranava dā api prati-siddhatayā vyākhyātā veditavyāh/
- Brahmasūtra, Sankara Bhasya, Pub. Motilāla Banārsidāsa, 1964, p. 139