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Epithets of Lord Mahavira in Early Jaina Canons
[ 95 प्राइगरे तित्थयरे सहसंबुद्ध पुरिसुत्तमे पुरिससीहे पुरिसवरपुण्डरीए पुरिसवरगन्ध हत्थीह लोगुत्तमे लोगनाहे लोगोष्पदीवे लोगपज्जोय करे प्रभयदए खक्खुदए मगग्दए सरणदए धम्मदेसए धम्मसारहा धम्मवरचाउरन्तचक्कवटी प्रप्पडिबरनाणदंसणधरे विलट्टछाउमे जिणे जवए बुद्ध बोए मुक्त मोए सव्वण्णू सव्वदरिसी । भगवती सू० ५
Here we may remember the improtance of Puruşa since the Reveda. In various names of Visņu we find Purusottama, Purușapuṇḍarika and Purusavara. Gandhahasti is an epithet of the powerful elephant and Gandhagaja is found in Caraka. Lokanatha is also used for Vişņu etc. Lokapradipa is used for the Buddha in Buddhacarita of Asvaghosa.
With this Varnaka we may compare the well-known Varṇaka of the Buddha which is explained in Visuddhimagga (p. 133 ) - सो भगवा श्ररहं सम्मा बुद्ध विज्जाच रणसंपन्नो सुगतो लोकविदू अनुत्तरो पुरिसदम्मसारथी सत्था देवमनुस्सानं बुद्धो भगवा' - अंगुत्तर ३.२८५
2. In the Mahão Buddha is called Narottama and Sakyasimha. 3. Bodhisattva is called-Gandhahasti-Malão 740.
4. In Mahão Saranya and Sarana.
Jain Education International
Reprinted from the Proceedings of the All-India Oriental Conference 26th Session,
Vikram University, Ujjain, October, 1972 Also printed in Sambodhi 1.4.
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