Jaina Philosophy Historical Outline

Author(s): Narendra Nath Bhattacharya
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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Introduction
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to Mahāvīra the doctrines of Pārsva. Such a mistake could not have taken place unless Pārśva actually had his own followers existting at the time. The historicity of Pārśva has also been confirmed by internal evidence of the Jain canon itself in which we come across the account of his disciple Keśi, stories of disputation among the followers of Pārsva and Mahāvīra, cases of conversion from the creed of the former to that of the latter, and so on. Moreover, there are indications that the parents of Mahāvira were the followers of Pārsva's creed.
Very few facts of Pārsva's life are, however, known to us. According to the Jain accounts of his life, he was born in the city of Banaras about 817 BC. His father was Aśvasena, probably a tribal chief, and his mother's name was Vāmā. The legends of his birth and also those associated with the important events of his life connect him with snakes which later became his symbol. In his early years he was a brave warrior who defeated the Yavanas of Kalinga. He married Prabhābati who was daughter of a king of Ayodhyā. At the age of thirty he renounced the world and became an ascetic. He practised austerities for eighty-three days and after conquering temptation and fear and having established full contral over his mind and body, received enlightenment on the eighty-fourth day under a Dhătaki tree near Banaras. His mother and wife became his first disciples and gradually he received a large number of following. He preached his doctrines for seventy years. He lived for a full hundred years and died on Mount Sammeta Siklara which lies on the Bengal-Bihar border.
Details of the doctrines preached by Pārsva are not very much known to us. So far as the ethical aspects of his doctrines are concerned, we know that he made four views binding on the members of his community: not to take life, not to lie, not to steal and not to own property. To these Mahāvīra added a fifth-not to indulge in sensual pleasures--and this shows how his teachings were based upon those of his illustrious predecessor. In Jain scriptures the origin of many important Jain notions has been traced to the doct Pārsva. The dialogue between Keśi and Goyāmaunmistakably points out that inspite of some minor differences, the doctrines of Mahavira were in close agreement with those of Pärsva.
ISBE, XLV, xx-xxii. ? Uttarůdhyana, xxiii.