Basic Principles Of Jainism

Author(s): Narayan Lal Kachhara
Publisher: Narayan Lal Kachhara

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Gautama. He was a Brahmin well-versed in Vedic-lore. He entertained some doubts about the interpretation of some metaphysical principles. On hearing of the Omniscient Lord, he went to him and was fully satisfied with the interpretation by the Tirthankara. Indrabhuti felt enlightened and became a convert along with his five hundred disciples to the religion of Sramana. After this, the two brothers of Indrabhuti, viz., Agnibhuti and Vayubhuti, who were also erudite scholars of Vedic faith and they too had their doubts clarified and became disciples Mahavira.
Besides these three brothers, there were eight other Brahmin and Ksatriya scholars who were similarly attracted by the preaching of Mahavira and they too became converts to his faith along with their disciples. They are: Vyakta, Sudharma, Mauryaputra, Mandika, Achalbhrata, Metarya, Akampita and Prabhasa. Of these Ganadharas, Indrabhuti Gautama was the wisest and possessed sound powers of exposition. He therefore, became the first Ganadhara who not only interpreted the sermons of Mahavira but also reduced them to sutras.
After Mahavira
Of the eleven Ganadharas, Indrabhuti and Sudharma were the only persons to survive their Master. Mahavira was the head of an excellent community of 14000 monks; 36000 nuns, 159000 male lay-votaries and 318000 female lay - votaries. Indrabhuti attained omniscience on the day of Nirvana of Mahavira. Sudharma followed him eight year later. Jambusvami was the disciple of Sudharma, and the last omniscient of this era, and he attained Nirvana 64 years after the Nirvana of Mahavira.
Bhadrabahu and Sthulabhadra were contemporaries in the sixth generation of Shrutkevalin' after Jambusvami had attained liberation. It is natural that there are differences between the groups of followers about the tenets preached by the Tirthankara. Even during the life time of Mahavira, Mankhali Goshalak and Jamali had differences with their Master and broke away from him. The former started his own sect of Ajivikas while the letter founded a sect known as Bahurata.
The migration of Bhadrabahu along with large number of monks to the South sometime between 296 or 298 B.C. is a landmark in the history of Jainism. The first inscription of 600 A. D. at Sravanabelagola in Karnataka refers to this event. According to the traditions, Chandragupta Maurya who was Emperor abdicated his throne and accompanied Bhadrabahu..
Mahavira himself adhered to the cult of nudity. Hence the practice of wearing a loin cloth did not assume any importance in his time. P. Bechardas, a Svetambara Pandit expresses the view that it was only after the Nirvana of Jambuswami that laxity in conduct must have started, departing from the rigorous rules laid down by Mahavira. The monks started using white clothes
A Shrutkevalin is a monk who remembers and has the knowledge of all scriptures including all Purva and Agama but is not omniscient.
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