Jain Lesson II

Author(s): JAINA Education Committee
Publisher: Diwakar Prakashan

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As the last Tirthankar, he revived the religious order (Tirth) consisting of monks, nuns, Shravaks and Shravikas. This order is known as the Jain Sangh. His first Disciple, called Ganadhar, was Gautamswami. He was a well known Brahmin scholar of the time. Lord Mahavira had eleven Ganadhars. Those Ganadhars compiled twelve scriptures based on what Lord Mahavira taught. These scriptures are called Āgamas which were passed verbally from preceptor to pupil for a long time. They were put into writing about 890 years after the death of Mahavira.
During the time of Lord Pārshvanāth there were four great vows followed by monks and nuns. Realizing the status of mind of current and future Sadhu and sadhvis, Lord Mahavira added one more vow to them. The five vows are :
1. Non-violence (Ahimsa) 2. Truth (Satya) 3. Non-stealing (Asteya) 4. Chastity (Brahmacharya, added by Mahavira)
5. Non-possession (Aparigraha). During his times violent sacrificial rituals were conducted by people in the name of religion. The teachings of Lord Mahavira opened their eyes and they also adopted the principle of non-violence. His sermons encouraged to build a happy and harmonious society.
After offering guidance to public for thirty years, Lord Mahavira attained Nirvān in 527 B.C., at the age of seventytwo. Nirvāna means that he attained liberation and became a Siddha who no longer has to undergo the cycle of birth and death.
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