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68
History of Jainism with Special Reference to Mathura
disciple of Mahāvīra and caused the first schism in the Jaina Church.155 Jamāli's name does not occur in older Jaina texts; it is mentioned only in the texts of Avasyaka tradition.156 The absence of his name in early books of the Jaina canon may be due to the fact that he played an ignominious role by creating a schism in the Jaina Church.157
Mahāvīra's mind was averse to secular matters.158 He had a reflective mind from his childhood, and although the education and training meant for the princes of his time was provided to him, consciousness dawned upon him that the world is transitory in nature.159 After the death of his parents, Mahāvīra renounced his home with the permission of his elder brother Nandivardhana, and embarked upon the life of a homeless monk.160 He was in the thirtieth year of his life at that time.161 Unlike Gautama Buddha, Mahāvīra had no need to wander in search of a teacher who could suggest him the true path. 162 Mahāvīra had a predecessor in Parsvanatha to look for enlightenment,163 and he became a Jaina monk.164 Mahāvīra's parents and the whole clan of Naya kṣatriyas are said to have been the followers of the tenets of Pārsvanatha.165 Probably, after renouncing the world, Mahāvīra first joined Pārśvanatha's sect, but soon took upon himself the role of its reformer. 166 The first book of the Jaina canon, i.e., the Acaranga-Sutra has
155.
HJM, p. 79; Ibid.
156. AOIU, p. 413; CHAI, III, p. 277.
157.
Ibid.; Ibid.
158. CUHI, I, p. 220.
159. Ibid.
160. CHI, I, p. 158; AOIU, p. 413.
161. Ibid.; Ibid.; CHAI, III, p. 277.
162. ERE, VII, p. 466; ACHI, p. 101.
163. ACHI, p. 101.
164.
165.
166.
ERE, VII, p. 466.
Ibid., p. 466 fn. 1.
Ibid.
