Jainism in North India

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

Page 59

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA
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Twelve years thus spent in self-penance and meditation were not fruitless. "During the thirteenth year Mahavira not far from an old temple. under a Sala-tree, being engaged in deep meditation, reached the highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, complete, and full," 1
During these twelve years of preparatory self-mortification Vardhamana had gone through numerous places, most of which are very difficult to identify to-day. Roaming about in countries inhabited by savage tribes, rarely having a shelter in which to rest for a night, and visiting even wild tribes of the country called Ladha, he had to endure the most painful and dangerous treatment from the barbarous inhabitants 2 Thereafter he was recognused as omniscient, as a Kevalin comprehending all subjects, and as an Arhat for whom there is no secret in this world to learn.8 By this time he was already forty-two, and the remaining thirty years of his life he passed in teaching his religious system, organising his order of ascetics, and wandering about preaching his doctrines and making converts He apparently visited all the great towns of north and south Bihar, dwelling principally in the kingdoms of Magadha and Anga Most of the rainy-seasons were spent round about his native town, Vaisali; at Rajagrha, the old capital of Magadha, at Campa," the capital of ancient Anga; at Mithila, the kingdom of Videha, and at Srävasti.
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did the Jinakalpikas, or those who tried to imitate him as much as possible But they also were allowed to cover their nakedness "--Ind, Int, p. XXV
1 Ibid, p 263 Cf bid, p 201
C Charpentier, op cit., p 158, Radhakrishnan, op cit, p 287 "Mahavira wandered for more than twelve years in Ladha, in Vajjabhimi and Subhabhumi, the Radha of to-day in Bengal "-Dey, The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Medical India, p 108 According to Dr Bühler the Rarh of to-day in Bengal Cf Bühler, Indian Sect of the Jamas, p 20 "Under the name of Kunda-gama the city of Vaisali is mentioned as the birthplace *CY Jacobi, op af, pp 268, 264 of Mahavira, the Jaina Tirthankara, who was also called Vesali, or the man of Vaisāli "— Des, op el, p 107.
Campa is a very sacred place to the Jamas, masmuch as it was the resort of Mahivira for three ruiny-seasons during his wanderings It is known also as the birthplace and the place of death of Visupüja, the twelfth Tirthankara of the Jainas bid, p 41
Cf.
"Srivasti, also called Sahet-Mahet, is the Candrapura or Candrikapuri of the Jinas It is known as the birthplace of the third Tirthankara Sambhavanatha and the eighth Tirthankam Candraprabha of the Jains"--Ibid, p 190 that age the venerable ascetic Mahivim stayed the first ramy-season in Asthikagrama, "In that period in three rainy seasons in Campt and Prishti-Campa, tucke in Vatall and Vanijagrama, furteen in Rajagrha and the suburb of Nilandi.., one in Srävasti, one in the town of Pipi in King Hastiplla's office of the writers "Jacobi, op et, p 204
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