________________
eligible, then he may allow to be ordained second time and his seniority was fixed accordingly in the order or Sangha.
These are some of the distinctive features of Pārsva's philosophy, teachings' and monastic discipline as can be traced out from the early literature. The belief that all Jinas teach the same code of conduct, and that the ascetics of the Pārsva's Order had become wayward by Mahāvīra's time receives no support from the evidence locked in the earlier canonical books.
TĪRTHANKARA MAHĀVĪRA Ancient Jaina texts have accepted without any controversy that Rsabha like Mahāvīra was a propounder of five Mahavratas and the code of conduct he laid down resembled that of Mahāvīra. The account of Rsabha is available right from Ķgvedato Purāṇas. Dr. Radhakrishnan says the names of Ajita and Aristanemi along with that of Rsabha are also found in Yajurveda’. The biographical data of Rsabha available in Purāṇas and Bhagvat is very close to that of Jaina tradition. Anguttarainikāya of the Buddhists mentions the names of the early seven Tīrthankaras, which also includes Araka (Ara). Similarly, Theragathā mentions the name of Ajita Thera who is called Pratyeka-buddha. However, we do not have much historical evidence regarding the middle twenty-two Tīrthankaras. Our faith in them is only based on the Jaina Āgamas and the narrative.
MAHĀVĪRA AND ĀJIVAKA TRADITION
After having given a brief sketch of the early History of Jaina Dharma, we come back to the time of Bhagwan Mahāvīra and we find some informative hints in Kalpsūtra and Bhagavati
Jainism and its History | 72
