Essence of Jainism

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Essence of Jainism
fold!This is precisely the reason why Buddha has pot co-ordinated the views of any predecessor or contemporary with his own; he has expressed the traits of his own outlook. Mahāvīra has not done this. He has co-ordinated his own reforms and changes with the then followers of Pārsavanātha, 8 The path therefore of Mabāvira is suggestive of the inclination of co-ordination with the sect of Pārsvanātha.
Another point to be drawn attention to is the life-time of Buddha and Mahāvira. Buddha attained Nirvana at the age of eighty; Mahavira at seventy two. It is now more or less a proved fact that Buddha preceded Mahāvira in Nirvana, 8 Buddha was slightly older than Mahavira. Again, when Mahāvjra independently started preaching of his religion, Buddha had already established his cult, Buddha was expected to gain strength from more and more of followers of his path; Mahāvīra had to keep within his fold and influence the old followers of Pārsvanatha in addition to winning over new followers to his cult. Buddha. could not have succeeded in the formation of his Sangha without a complete evaluation and rejection of all other contemporary sects. Mahāvira's problem was slightly different. He brought to his own fold the contemporary followers of Pärsvanātha on the strength of his own conduct and the strength of his own personality, which won their hearts.
The problem therefore, of recruitment of new followers was pot as acute for Mahavira as for Buddha, It is, therefore, full of criticism of others,
lofluence of Nirgrantha tradition on Buddha
Buddha discarded several sects one after the other, before he established bis own path. One of these was the Nirgrantha path, Buddha has narrated his own life. 4. On reading this and comparing it with the conduct describ:d in the Jaina Āgamas, it can be
1. 2. 3.
Bhagavati 5.9. 225. Uttarādby ayana, Adh. 23. Viranirväaa Samvat aur Jain Kālaganana-Bharatiya Vidya pt. 3, p, 177, Majjhirnanikāya-S. 26-Fudhacarita (in Gnjarati) by Prof. Kaustambi.