Jain Stories 02

Author(s): Mahendramuni, K C Lalwani
Publisher: A B Jain Shwetambar Terapanth Samaj

Page 17

XV
question by no less a person than king Srepika Bimbisara of Magadha Mahavira revealed that he was destined to go to hell and that this was irrevocable On a further question, Mahavir said that Bimbisara was going to be the first tirthankara of the next bracing phase of the time-cycle on completion of his life in hell All this must he very interesting to the reader
Practically all stories lend support to Mahavira's kiryayada in some way or other In a nutshell, kriyavada means actionism, which further means that man is the archirect of is own future, and that there is no power in heaven, earth or the nether world which can either help or hinder a determined man. Two supporting pillars are knowledge and action, and Mahavir is said to have observed, jnana-kriyabhyam moksa Actionism has no room for divine grace on the one hand, and on the other, it strikes at the very root of determinism or fatalism, which was the philosophy propounded by some powerful adversaries of Mabavira To build up one's own future, one needs undergo right exertion or endeavour under proper guidance Mrsdirected energy or hardship yield no result It is a pity that a sense of cynicism prevails in the present day Jaina monastic order according to which liberation is no longer possible in the present age partly because the span of human life has become short and partly because man's capacity to beac hardship has gone down Such a view is not only wrong, but it strikes at the very root of kriyavada Man was never more powerful than in the present age, and gives earnest endeavour he is sure to be liberated even now. Io so far as this point is upheld in many a story, their scope becomes as much extensive as that of Jaina philosophy and religion.
Quite a large number of stories are connected with events in the life of Mahayıra and they are, therefore, useful in constructing the life story of this great teacher Many others give account of the life of innumerable monks and church leaders We come across the names of a large number of rulers, kings, ministers, siesthis, who have had a place 10 history Not only stories but the whole gamut of Sremana literature has useful material for the reconstruction of ancient