Jainism in North India

Author(s): Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London

Page 32

JAINISM BEFORE MAHAVIRA makes it clear as regards both the authenticity of a very ancient beginning of the religion, and the probable succession of numerous Tirtharkaras in the meanwlule.
Furthermore, we have a monumental proof in one of the greatest Tirthas 1 of the Jainas, the hill of Samet-Sikhar - in Bengal, which is known also as Pārasnāth Hill. It is situated in the Hazarıbag district. Both in the Kalpa-Sūtra, recorded and proved to have been composed by Bhadrabāhu, and hence which can be traced as far back as c. 300 B.C., and also in other Jaina literature we find that on the eve of his Nirvana Părśva came down to this hill and went to Moksha from here.
Coming to contemporary Iterature we find many reliable statements and coincidences that leave no doubt as to the historicity of Pārsva's life. For our purpose here we need not examine the veracity of all these references, but we shall merely enumerate just a fer which are most striking and highly convincing.
According to the Jaina scriptures Jaina Sädhus and Nuns) Tere known as Niganthas and Niganthes-Sanskıt Nirgranthas --etymologically meaning “without any ties." 5 This is also apparently corroborated by the Buddhist canon ; Varāhamihira 7 and Hemacandra8 call them Nurgranthas, whilst other writers substitute synonyms, such as Vivasana, Muktāmbara, etc. The name Nirgrantha for the Jaina religious men occurs also in the edicts of Asoka under the form of Nagantha.10 The Pitakas of the Buddhas often mention the Niganthas as opponents of Buddha
1 Tirtha, according to Jaina terminology, means a place of pilgrimage.
. "Samet-Sichara, called in Major Rannel's map Pärsonaut, is situated among the hills between Bihar and Bengal ; its holiness is great in the eyes of the Jainas, and it is said to be visited by pilgrims from the remotest provinces of India " Colebrooke, op cit, u, 218 There is a celebrated temple of Pārsva in that place.
s Charpentier, Uttaradhyayana-Sītra, Int , pp. 18, 14
See Kaipa-Sūtra, stīt 168, faluarea #angi met my :-Hemacandra, Trishashtr-Salāha, Parva IX, v. 816, p 219
See Uttaradhyayana, Lecture or Adhyayana XII, 10, XVI, 2; Acaranga, pt u, Adhyayana III, 2, and Kalpa-Sitta, sūt. 180, etc
See Digha Nikaya, 1, p. 57; Buddhism in Translations (Bar Or. Series), m, pp 224, 842-843, 469, 484, etc, Maha Parinibbana Sutta, chap v, 267, etc Cf Rhys Davids, S.BE,1, p. 166
119119TUTETTURE ... etc -Varahamıhıra, Brhal-Samhta, Adhyayana LI, v 21: "In Varāhamıhıra's (sixth century) Brhat Samhrtā, ls 19 (ed Kern), Nagna, * Naked,' is the official designation of a Jama Yarı " Barth, op cit, p 145
8 forfait fra: ..etc.--Hemacandra, Abhidhănacintamani, v. 76
faaaaay...etc --Pansıknr, Brahmasūtra-Bhashya, p 252 (2nd ed) 20 Bühler, EI, 1, p 272