Compendium of Jainism

Author(s): T K Tukol, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Prasaranga Karnatak University Dharwar

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COMPENDIUM OF JAINISM
death Pāvā, in agreement with the Jaina tradition.. Mahavira was a contemporary of Buddha and probably somewhat older than the latter who outlived his rival's decease at Pāvā..... Mahāvira, however, unlike Buddha, was most probably not the founder of the sect which reveres him as their prophet, nor the author of their religion. According to unanimous Buddhist tradition, Buddha had under the Bodhi tree, discovered by intuition the fundamental truths of his religion as it appears throughout his personal works; bis first sermons are things even to be remembered by his followers as are the doctrines which he then preached. No such tradition is preserved in the canonical books of the Jainas about Mahāvira. Thus Mahāvira appears in the tradition of his own sect as one who from the beginning, followed a religion established long ago; had he been the founder of Jainism, tradition ever eager to extol a prophet, would not have totally repressed his claims to reverence as such. But he is without doubt the last prophet of Jainas, the last Tirthankara. His predecessor Pārsva.... whose death took place 250 years before that of Mahāvira.."7
Jainism and Hinduism
Some of the western scholars have propounded that Jainism is a result of revolt against Hinduism. Mrs. Stevenson asserted : “ It must always be remembered that Jainism, though a rebellious daughter, is nonetheless a daughter of Brahmanism, many of whose leading beliefs are still held by Jains.."8 Instead of finding support for her view from the essential doctrines of the two religions, she contents herself by saying that “much of their worship resembles Hindu worship, and their domestic chaplains, though not their temple officials, are still Brahmins."9 There are some Indian scholars who subscribe to this view and assert that Jainas are Hindu dissenters and their religion is an offshoot of Vedic- Hinduism. Shri B. N. Luniya holds the view that sixth century B. C. was the time of great ferment of minds in the whole world, that the Hindus in India became disappointed at that time with the