Jain Journal 1972 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 47

90
at that time was Kesi who is said to have converted the king Pradesi16 and to have held a conference with Mahavira's chief disciple, Indrabhuti Gautama in order to bring about a reconciliation between the teachings of the two Tirhankaras.
JAIN JOURNAL
Parsva's ethical system is usually described as Caturyama-dharma representating the four vows of ahimsa (non-injury to life), truthfulness, honesty, and possessionlessness, to which Mahavira in his time added celebacy as the fifth vow. The most notable contribution of Parsva was his emphasis on the ethical note in the practice of religion and he considerably succeeded in infusing a moral spirit in the contemporary world. Moreover, he raised his voice against the meaningless self-torturing practices which had become the fashion with the ascetics of different orders, who indulged in curbing the flesh without paying any heed to self purification and mental and spiritual elevation of the soul. It was an step forward. As we have seen, it was in the time of the 20th Tirthankara, Munisuvrata, that an opposition to and condemnation of violent Vedic sacrifices involving the killing of various animals were first started; in that of the 21st Tirthankara, Naminatha, spiritual thinking leading to the Upanisadic philosophy of Atma-vidya had commenced; and the 22nd Tirthankara, Aristanemi, had raised his voice against killing animals for food. Parsva advocated the eradication of hatha-yoga practices among the ascetics, since they involved incidental injuries to life without doing any spiritual good to those who indulged in such practices.
The historicity of this twenty-third Tirthankara of the Jaina tradition has now been almost unanimously accepted even by modern scholars1. Celebrated orientalists like Max Muller, Oldenberg, Bendole, Monier Williams, W. W. Hunter, Harvey, Wheeler, R. G. Bhandarkar, K.P. Jayaswal and B. G. Tilak have no doubt as to the antiquity of Jainism over Buddhism18. To quote a few others:
"That Parsva was a historical person is now admitted by all as very probable."19-H. Jacobi.
"We ought also to remember both that the Jaina religion is certainly older than Mahavira, his reputed predecessor Parsva having
16 Ibid.
17
Cf. The Cambridge History of India, Vol i, p. 153; Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol vii.
18
Jain, J.P., op cit., p. 14.
19 Jaina Sutras, S.B.E., Vol xlv, Intro.