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century BC and are contemporaneous with the older part of the Pāli Tripitaka and some earlier Upanisads. It is likely that these concepts were of Bhagavan Mahāvīra.
The concept of Pañcāstikāya aslhavealready argues, belongs fundamentally toPārsva tradition. It is recognized afterwards in Mahāvīra tradition also for interpreting the world. There is a reference in Bhagavati-sūtra tothe effect that Mahāvīra accepted Pārśva ideas that the universe is made of Pañcāstikāya.
I do not agree with Pt. Dalsukhabhai Malvania's opinion that the concept of Pañcāstikāya is a later developed concept. It is true ofcourse that in the earlier works of the Mahāvīra tradition there is mention of only Şadjivanikāya and not of Pañcāstikāya. But when Pārsvanatha tradition merged with that of Mahāvīra, the philosophical ideas of the former also got their way into the latter, and thus the idea Pañcāstikāya found its place in the Bhagavatisūtra.
In Jainism not only is vegetation regarded as living being, but so are also earth, water, fire and air. This is a typical Jaina concept. In the other systems, such as Nyaya-Vaisesika etc., these four elements are considered as Mahabhutas and as such Jada (unconscious, inanimate). Among the Mahabhutas, Ākāsa (space) is the only element which is regarded as non-living (Ajiva) in both the traditions (Jainism and Nyaya-Vaisesika). That is why Ākāsa is included in Pañcāstikāya but it has no place in Sadjivānikāya, in which only the other four, viz. earth, water, fire and air are included.
The Jaina thinkers accept not only the life as dependent on earth, water and the like but also accept them as living too. That is why the abstinence from violence towards earth, water, air, fire and vegetation is so prominently prescribed in the Jaina Sadhana,
157 Jainism and its History
