Arya Bhadrabahu

Author(s): M A Dhaky
Publisher: Z_Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_1_002105.pdf and Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_2

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Arya Bhadrabāhu
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three disciples of Bhadrabāhu. Generally speaking, as inferred from the further details given in the Sthavirävalī (Phase 3), in the palpably early stages of growth of the Northern Nirgrantha Church, the sub-orders of friars did sometimes originate from the confrères of the chief disciple of a pontiff : Second, what happened to the sub-orders of the Godāsa-gana; for nothing afterwards has been reported about them in the ecclesiastical or epigraphical records either, the latter largely are encountered in Mathurā. After the passage dwelling on Bhadrabāhu's disciples, the Sthavirávali takes up Sthūlabhadra, disciple of Bhadrabāhu's confrère Arya Sambhūta and, further onwards, gives particulars of Sthūlabhadra's descendents, indeed not for once returning to Bhadrabāhu's line, an omission the significance of which later will be discussed. The hagiographical position from Arhat Vardhamāna onwards and especially after Arya Jambů—the disciple of ganadhara Sudharmaand up to Bhadrabāhu and his disciples, according to the first three phases of the Sthavirāvali of the Paryusanā-kalpa, may be tabulated as follows:
Arhat Vardhamana (Preached c. B.C. 507-477)42
Ganadhara Gautama
Ganadhara Sudharmā
Arya Jambū
Arya Prabhava
Ārya Sayyambhava (or Svāyambhuva)
Ārya Yasobhadra
Arya Sambhūta
Ärya Bhadrabahu (C. B.C. 325-297)
Ārya Sthūlabhadra
Godāsa
Agnidatta
Yajñadatta
Somadatta