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LORD MAHĀVĪRA'S ANUDHARMIKA
CONDUCT
Shri Dalsukh Malvapia
It is an established fact that Mahavira's parents were the followers of Lord Parsva, the 23rd Tirthankara of the Jainas. It is also a fact that there were some of the followers of Pārsva who did not accept Mahavira as their tirthankara in the beginning but later on accepted his authority. As regards Mahāvīra himself, we know from the tradition that he was the last tirthankara of this age. It means that he must have followed the tradition of Pārsva. In this note, I propose to discuss some of the references to the effect that he followed the old tradition.
Achärānga, the oldest amongst the Jaina literature clearly refers to Mahăvira's anudhammiya conduct in these words:
जो चेविमेण वत्थेण पिहिस्सामि तसि हेमंते । से पारए आवकहाए एयं खु अणुधम्मियं तस्स
१. ९. १. गाथा २ The word anudhammiya is explained in chürni as gatanugata, meaning thereby the traditional law.
This meaning of the word अणुधम्मिय i.e. traditional law' is supported by other textual references also:१ 'कासवस्स अणुधम्मचारिणो'
सूत्रकृ० १.२.२.२५ २ 'एसोऽणुधम्मो इह संजयाणं ।'
सूत्रकृ. २.६.४१ ३ 'एसोऽणुधम्मो इह संजयाणं ।'
सूत्रकृ. २.६.३५
In all these references the word अणुधम्म-अनुधर्म - means the traditional Law.'
The meaning of the word अणुधम्मिय will be quite clear from the following discussion of Niśitha Chūrņi :__'अणाइण्णा' णाम अणासेवितं ति बुत्तं भवति । ते य सम्वेहिं तित्थयरेहिं गोयमादिहिं य गणधरेहिं आदिसद्दातो जंबूणाममादिएहि आयरिएहिं जाव संपदमवि अणाइण्णा तेण कारणेणं ते वज्जणिज्जा । __“आह-तो किं जं जिणेहिं अणाइण्णा तो एयाए चेव
आणाए वज्जणिज्जा । ओमित्युच्यते । लोउत्तरे जे धम्मा ते अणुधम्मा। किमुक्तं भवति ! जं तेहिं गुरूहिं चिणं चरिय आचेष्ठियं तं पच्छिमेहिं वि अणुचरियन्वं । जम्हा य एवं तम्हा तेहिं पलंबा ण सेविया पच्छिमेहिं वि ण सेवियव्वा । अतो ते वज्जणिज्जा। एवं अणुधम्मिया भवति।" gāthā 4855. See also Brihatkalpa-gatha 995.
The word anudharmita is not found in Sanskrit Dictionary but Pali Dictionary mentions अनुधम्मता (Anguttara Vol. 2, p.46) and gives its meaning:-lawfulness, conformity to Dhamma. The word अनधम्म is also found in Pali having its meaning :-conformity or accordance with the law, consistency etc. The word ध-मानुधम्मता is also used in Pali. The meaning of it is the major and minor Dhamma. If we consider the meaning of all these words then we can say that the word अनुधम्मिय of Achāranga means that Lord Mahāvira acted according to law and so the Commentators are
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