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INTRODUCTION
dants of Srī Pārsva are described at several places. Many of them accepted Sri Mahāvīra's substitution of the five great vows instead of the four (Caturyāma) laid down by Sri Pārsvanatha, after discussion either with Sri Mahā vīra himself or his pupils. There were few however who did not like to give up the easy mode of life adopted by them and latitudes and liberties enjoyed by them. These latter consisted mainly of putting on coloured clothes and keeping bowls for begging, living in one place as long as desired and only occasionally performing 'Pratikramaņa' i. e. Repentance for transgressions of the holy Law and the course of conduct laid down for a 'Sadhu' and employing eight kinds of Nimitta* (Science of divination for obtaining necessaries of life. These continued to live by themselves practising Nimittas. It is recorded in Sri Bhagavatīsūtra, Sataka XV, Sūtra 539 that Gosālaka (who was first a pupil of Sri Mahāvīra but ultimately left him) met some of these Pārsvāpatyas and acquired such knowledge of the eight kinds of Nimitta (which is there said to be part of Pūrva literature) from them that he could pose as an omniscient person. Now some kinds of Nimitta require proficiency in Vidyās and Mantras for purposes of accurate divination. The spiritual descendants of Sri Pārsvanatha therefore knew and employed Vidyās and Mantras. This could not have been possible unless they were the possessors of traditional Vidyās and Mantras coming down from the time of Sri Pārsvanātha. The Jain tradition as mentioned in the footnote at p. 149 definitely assumes existence of fourteen Pūrvas in the times of all the previous Tīrthankaras and therefore also of the 10th Pūrva dealing with Vidyās and Mantras,
NAIMITTIKAS, SĀRŪPIKAS AND SIDDHAPUTRAS
How these were succeeded in the practice of eight kinds of Nimitta, Vidyās and Mantras by Sārūpikas and Siddhaputras is a
* See post discussion on 'Angavidya' and relevant Vidyas set forth in Appendix A. $ The eight kinds of Nimitta are described in Sīyagadãnga I, 12,9. The Commentary thereon says that the science of Nimitta is extracted from the 3rd Vastu (named Acāra) of the 9th Pūrva.
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