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Non-Violence : A Way of Life Similarly the monk does not care about anything, but proceeds on and on in the life of austerity."
Bhagwan Mahavira's style of sermonizing was jnata style. It was a simple but poignant style explaining his point of view allegorically
Once during his monsoon sojourn in Rajgraha he told this story:
People often keep animals to provide for their days of fasting. Take the example of the lamb who is pampered and fed so well by the master that he becomes as fat as a pig. It believes that it is extremely happy. It eats, drinks and makes merry, while other lambs wander in search of food and die of hunger.
Jainism: The Cosmic Vision His followers came from all walks of life, from among kings and princes to ordinary persons. In all 14000 monks and 36000 nuns were initiated at Lord Mahavira's hand. A very large number of laymen and laywomen were his disciples.
Lord Mahavira founded a sangha or congregation of all these people. Such an organization is called a tirtha. So he came to be called Tirthankara. There has been no Tirthankara after him. Mahavira had completely conquered the pulls of attachment and aversion, and so he is also known as Jina. The followers of Jina are Jains.
Let us examine Lord Mahavira's concept of a nirgrantha monk, (a monk free from all ties) of his Shasana (dispensation).
This monk must have a free mind replete with noble thoughts. He must be constantly observing the vow of Ahimsa. He should not experience any of the complexes of samsara, of mind, having their source in personal relationship or in ideas of the egoistical self. He should not idle away a single moment. For food, clothing and shelter, man feels himself obliged towards a number of people in the Samsara. A nirgrantha monk is free from this dependence. As he always journeys on foot, he does not need a chariot, a cart or a horse. As he does not wear shoes on his feet, he has not to search for a shoe-maker. As he himself tears his hair, he does not need a hairdresser. His life is independent and free. He considers the difficult path to be a comforting one. The monk has only one aim before him. Explaining this aim Bhagwan Mahavira says: "How many obstacles an elephant leading an army in a battle suffers ! How many wounds he suffers ! Still he goes on. In the same way the monk progresses. The elephant does not care about being bound, cut to pieces or killed. His mind is fixed on the aim.
Meanwhile a guest comes to its master's house. Its master takes the healthy and stout lamb and kills it. He cuts it into pieces and makes a tasty dish. The lamb now feels sorry for the guest ever came."
Bhagwan Mahavira tells us this story to make us meditate on the true nature of life. The guest is none other than old age which visits everyone. The knife is the knife of death which kills everyone.
But it is the duty of a man to wake up in time before old age and finally death overtakes him.
Mahavira gave his sermon in Ardhamagadhi, the language of the laity or the layman. His last monsoon sojourn was in Pavapuri. A number of kings had assembled there at that time. It was now the seventy second year of Mahavira's life. On hearing the news of Bhagwan Mahavira's nirvan, every house
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