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JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXII, No. 3 January 1998
Buddha is out to search a teacher who can satisfy his longings but finds none. For six long years he goes from place to place but finds no one who can satisfy his inward urge. He observes standards of life as laid down by other religions such as fasts, regorous austerity etc. but all this does not satisfy him, Even he follows the dictates of Jainism but he condemns the austerity of fasts in severe terms. He realises truth under the Bodhi tree. He does not follow any system of religion or he has no ancient religion before him in view. For he says his findings are his own e.g. the four noble truths, the three Saranas, the eight limbed path etc. Mahavira on the other hand is no innovator or a discoverer of truth. He has only organised a religion which was already in existence. The followers of Pärśva come in his contact and he instructs them properly, Buddha was way laid by Mara, the Satan, and his followers but not so Mahavira, No doubt Lord Mahavira had to undergo hardships during his wandering routine. Just as Ānanda, Maudgalyāyana, Kasyapa etc. were the chief disciples of Buddha, Mahavira had Gautama, the elevan Ganadharas as his chief disciples. Both got support from kings and rich laity.
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As a member of the clan of Jñatṛ Mahavira belonged to the Kasyapa gotra. From the Naya clan, Mahavira is known Jñātṛputra (Viv, 323), because of his Kasyapa gotra he is known as Kāsava (Utt. 2, Dasav, 4), after the state of Vaisali he is known as Vesaliya (Su. 1.2, 3, Utt. 6). after the home land he is known as Videha-dinna (Ayar. 2. 15, 17, Jinac. 110), as a result of all round prosperity in the kingdom cropping up after his birth he is called Vardhamana and as a result of severe ascetion and endurance he is called Mahavira. He is called Jina, because of his command over the five senses. As he has established the church he is known as Tirthagara, Tirthankara like the other Tirthankaras. So also Buddha is known as Buddha, Sambuddha, Tathāgata etc.
Just as the Tirthankara appears in a definite period of cycles known as the Avasarpini and the Utsarpini, so also Buddha appears only in empty Kalpas i.e. only in Buddhakalpa. The highest number of Buddhas who can appear is only five, whereas in the time of Lord Ajitanātha, the second Tirthankara of the Jainas 170 Tirthankaras appeared in the land where a Tirthankara can be born. Just as there are infinite Kalpas, so there are infinite Buddhas. Like the 24 Tirthankaras there are twenty-four Buddhas. Both the Tirthankara and the Buddha have each a number of monks, nuns, lay-men, lay-women and the tree of knowledge under which they get the glimpse of the highest truth. Just as a Tirthankara is born after the Aradhana of 20 Sthanakas, so a Buddha is born after propitiating 10 Pāramitās. Jaina Tirthankara
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