Jain Journal 1998 07

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

Page 31

TIWARY: THE FOLLOWERS OF PĀRŠVANĀTHA
The teachings of Parsva were very much popular among the general people during those days. People from all walks of life were immensely influenced by it. Pārśva had a large number of such followers in Bihār and eastern U.P. regions. Mahāvira's parents were worshippers of Pārsva' and they died practising the slow starvation following Jain faith. There existed a number of monks of Pārsvanatha's order following caturyāma dharma during the time of Mahāvīra who absorved them into his order by converting them to his doctrine of pañcamahāvratas. It appears that he drew his followings largely from the non-Aryan indigenous tribes like the Yakṣas, Nāgas and Asuras and from the socalled Vratya or non-Vedic kṣatriyas.
The Uttaradhyayana-sūtra relates to the meeting of the head of Pārsva's follower Keśīkumāra and Mahāvira's ganadhara Indrabhūti. Their discussions concentrated mainly on the principles of the Jain religion. Kesi was greatly satisfied by Mahāvīra's explanation and he accepted the five great vows of Mahāvīra. Kesi and Gautam of this meeting represent the two Jain orders, the old and the new. The Bhagavati-sutra10 refers to a dispute between Kālāsavesiyaputta, a follower of Pārśva with a disciple of Mahavira. Gangeya, a follower of Pārsva, who lived at Vanijyagrāma, gave up the four vows of Pārsva and adopted the five mahāvratas of Mahavira." Before accepting the Mahāvīra's five precepts (pañca-mahāvratas), Gangeya had a discussion with Mahavira. 12 Clearing the doubts in the mind of Gargeya, Mahavira showed his respect for Pārśvanātha, acknowledging him as a superman.13 The Nayadhammakahāo11 mentions the name of Pundariya, who accepted the four vows of Pārsva. The famous disciple of Mahavira named Gautama met Udaka, a follower of Parsva and succeeded in winning over him to his side. From the dialogue between Udaka and Gautam, it appears that the followers of Pārsva and the disciples of Mahāvīra were known as the Nighantha Kumāraputta and Nigantha Nataputta respectively. It is quite interesting to know that at a place called Tungiya, 15 about five hundred pupils of Parsva embraced the five mahāvratas of Mahāvīra. 16
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7. Acārāngasūtra, II, 15, 16.
8. This goes to prove Pārsvanatha to be the predecessor of Mahavira. 9. 23, vv. 1-89; SBE, XLV, pp. 115-129.
10. Bhagavati-sutra, 1. 975; cf. also Weber's Fragment der Bhagavati, p. 185. 11. Ibid., p. 32.
12. Vyakhyāprajñapatti, 9.32.371.
13. Pārsvanatha is called Purisadāniya in Kalpasūtra (Chapter 1, para 25). 14. Naya, 19, 20. 218.
15. This place is identified with modern Tugi, situated two km off Biharsarif according to Prachin Tirthamālā, pt. 1, p. 16.
6. Bhagavatisūtra, pp. 136 ff.