Jain Journal 1974 04

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

Page 18

156
The learned Jacobi has now investigated the question from the Jaina texts themselves. Oldenberg had proved, out of the Buddhist Scriptures, that Buddhism was a true product of Brahman doctrine and discipline. Jacobi shows that both 'Buddhism and Jainism must be regarded as religions developed out of Brahmanism, not by a sudden reformation, but prepared by a religions movement going on for a long time'. And he has brought forward evidence for believing that Jainism was the earlier outgrowth of the two-evidence which will be more fully discussed later on. He holds that the religion of the Jaina was probably founded by Parsvanath, now revered as the twenty-third Jina; and merely reformed by Mahavira, the contemporary of Buddha.
JAIN JOURNAL
Following the line of argument that Jacobi has adopted, except where it appears to be somewhat inadequate, we come first to the claims of Mahavira to be the founder of Jainism and a contemporary of Buddha.
Mahavira, the Twenty-fourth Jina
It is now recognized by all scholars that Nataputta, who is commonly called Mahavira or Vardhamana, was a historical person and a contemporary of Sakyamuni, the Buddha; and that the religion of Jainism which he founded is as old as Buddhism. In fact, both took their rise in that wonderful era of religious speculation upon the ultimate problems of life, about the sixth century before Christ; and we would remark that in no other age and country do we find diffused among all classes of people so earnest a spirit of inquiry, so impartial and deep a respect for all who came forward as teachers, however contradictory their doctrines might be.
We see then at once that it is most important to compare Mahavira with Buddha, and Buddhism with Jainism, in order to see whether they borrowed any of their teachings from each other, or derived their doctrine, their orders, and their speculations from a common source. In any case, it will be well to note how it was that 'Buddhism proved more adaptable and appealed to more widespread sympathies, till it surpassed and overshadowed Jainism'; still more interesting to trace the cause of the survival of the latter in British India to-day, while the former has long been extinct.
Mahavira and Buddha
The chief points of resemblance between the respective founders of these religions were these (1) both were ascetics; (2) Mahavira had
S. B. E., vol. xxii, Jaina-Sutras, pt. i. p. xiii ff.