ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 01

Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 66

SCHOOL
* Bharatiya Itihāsa, Eka Drsti by Dr J.P.Jain.
5 Jain Legend by Acarya Hastimal translated by Shugan C. Jain
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STUDY NOTES version 5.0
राप
Today's historians, based on excavations of Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Gujarat have gone back as far as 4-8000 B.C. Some images and writings found there make Jains infer that Jainism existed at that time. There are other textual indications that suggest the existence of Jainism from 4000 to 2000 B.C. Historically Jainism can be traced to 1000 B.C when Pārsvanatha, the 23rd ford-maker of Jains was born in Varanasi in a royal family, attained omniscience and rejuvenated Jainism. Parents of Mahāvīra are said to be his followers. The practice of Jainism as it is now, goes back to 600BC when Mahāvīra, the 24th ford-maker attained omniscience and established the Jain canons, church, philosophy and practice to attain liberation.
STUDIES
Mahāvīra, the 24th Tirthankara5
Mahāvīra was born to Siddhartha and mother Trisala on 13th day of rising moon in the month of Baisakha around 600 years before the Christian era. His father was a district chieftain of Vaishali, a prosperous district in the present state of Bihar. He had royal lineage. His family practiced the religion of Pārsvanatha, the 23rd ford-makerof Jains. Since the day his mother conceived him, there were unusual and auspicious indications like enhanced prosperity of all in the state. He displayed superior knowledge and bravery since childhood, and finally renouncing the worldly pleasures to at the age of 30 to realize the true nature of self. For 12.5 years, he practiced extreme physical, mental and speech penance by leading a lonely life outside the town limits and mostly meditated upon his self to understand and experience the real nature of his soul. He experienced the real self/soul and attaining omniscience at the age of 42. Since then he started preached his philosophy for 30 years. He attained liberation (nirvāṇa)at the age of 72 on the last day of waning moon in the Indian calendar month of Kārtika (approx October-November) at Pāvā in the state of Bihar, He was given several names like Vardhamana, Vīra, Ativīra, Sanmati and lastly Mahāvīra. Buddha was a contemporary of Mahāvīra and hailing from the same region.
After the nirvana of Lord Mahāvīra, Jainism moved towards southern and western India where the Jain monks observed/practiced some changes in their ethico-spiritual practices giving rise to several sects and sub sects. The major sects and sub sects as prevailing today are:
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