________________
LORD MAHAVIR'S GANDHARAS AND JAIN MASTERS
Dr. Pravin L. Shah, Reading, PA This year we are celebrating the 2600th Janmakalyanak of Jambu Swami was the last Kevali who attained omniscient Lord Mahavir. As we rejoice Mahavir's centennial celebrations knowledge from the teachings of his Master Sudhrama Swami. all over the world, let us go though some of great Jain Masters Bhadrabau Swami was the last "Shrut Kevali" who composed very that have followed the footsteps of Lord Mahavir and have given popular Sutra we recite every day : Uvasagharam Sutra, and many us the divine knowdlege in form of invaluable Jain Texts describ- other texts. Up to the time of Bhadrabahu Swami, Jain Masters ing Lord's Teachings based on their own self realization knowl- of his caliber were able to memorize all the Agam texts including edge. Without these priceless scriptures prepared by these great the fourteen Purvas. Today we can not even recite our Chaitya Jain Masters over the last 2000 years, we would be without any Vandan Sutras properly, let alone understand the meaning of each documented Teachings of Lord Mahavir at the present time. Sutra!! With passing of time, capacity of the Jain Masters de
creased to memorize all the Purvas which lead the eminent GAUTAM SWAMI - FIRST GANDHAR (500 B.C.)
Acharyas to compose new scriptures starting with the first and
foremost masterpiece listed below by Umaswati Acharya Lord Mahavir attained omniscient knowledge (Kevalgnan) at age 42 and He established Jain Tirtha consisting of four-fold
ACHARYA UMASWATI ( 100 B.C.) Sangh comprised of Sadhus, Sadhvijis, Shravaks, and Shravikas. Lord Mahavir gave his sermons for thirty years until he attained in Christian religion the most popular book is Bible, in HinMoxa at age 72. During these thirty years, Lord's teachings were duism it is Gita, and in Jainism the most popular and respected compiled primarily by most revered Gandhar, Gautam Swamiji. text is Tatvarth Sutra composed by Acharya Umaswati some two His real name was Indrabhuti and he came from a Brahmin thousand years ago. Acharya Haribhadra and Yasovijayji have family and considered himself as the best scholar of divine knowl- said often that Acharya Umaswati must be a "Shrut kevali" to edge of the Vedas. When Indrabhuti was invited to have a dia- compose such epic as Tatvarthsutra which represents a condensed logue with Shri Mahavir, he thought it will be so easy to defeat nectar of all Agam Sutras and a complete thesis on Jain MetaShri Mahavir in matter of minutes. He accepted the challenge physics in a scientific way. It is the first text in Sanskrit in Jain of the debate with Mahavir Swami on the condition that if he literature dating back 2000 years ago. lost the debate, he will become Mahavir's disciple.
To illustrate the uniqueness and importance of this great text, As soon as Indrabhuti along with his many Vedanta disciples one needs to examine the commentaries written on Tatvarthsutra met Lord Mahavir their ego melted away and bowed down to by the most eminent Acharyas, including a detailed commenthe Lord and created a well known prayer "Namuthunam". He tary known as "Sarvarthsiddhi" by Acharya Pujyapad, had doubts about Atman but Lord Mahavir gave him the divine "Gandhahasti" by Samatbhadra Acharya, and two other comvision and Gautam Swami attained Samkit at the very moment mentaries by Aklankdev and Prabahchandra Acharyas. Scholars, and became the first Gandhar of Lord Mahavir and attained four Pundits still cannot comprehend the depth of Tatvarthsutra. It fold Knowledge (Mati, Shrut, Avadhi and Man Pryava knowl- is said that only Umaswati could compose such a text, no one else edge). Gautam Swami composed our twelve Agam Texts includ- could do it! He also composed ten other texts of great imporing the fourteen Purvas which contain millions of verses. Every tance including Prashamrati. All the Jain masters have frequently Jain disciple worships Gautam Swami with utmost respect and quoted Sutras from Tatvarthsutra as an authoritative reference reverence. Gautam swami attained omniscient knowledge the material next only to the Agam Sutras. same day Lord Mahavir attained Moxa.
ACHARYA KUNDKUND ( 50 B.C. - 50 A.D) SUDHARAMA SWAMI & JAMBU SWAMI (500-400 B.C.)
Acharya Kundkund was from South Indian town Kondkonda Sudharama Swami was the fifth Gandhara of the Lord who and he took Digambar Dixa at age 11 to become the most reattained omniscient knowledge after Gautam Swamiji. Sudharama vered and authoritative Jain Master after Lord Mahavir. He Swami composed the most revered Jain text "Utradhyayan Sutra" composed ninety great scriptures in his life time of ninety two commonly known as the Last Sermon Of Lord Mahavir. Jains years. Five of his scriptures are worshiped today as Agam texts by consider this text as the most authoritative text as it contains the all Jain followers and are considerd complete and most compredialogue berween the Lord and Gautam Swami narrated by Shri hensive texts of Dravyanuyog : (1) Samayasar, (2) Pravachansar, Sudharama Swami. The thirty six chapters of Utradhyayan Sutra (3) Niyamsar, (4) Pancahstikay, and (5) Ashta Pahud. No other condense the entire philosophy in Q and A format.
Jain text is equal to these five masterpieces in Jain metaphysics
10/JAIN DIGEST. FALL 2001 Jain Education International 2010_02
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
