Kathakoca or Treasury of Stories

Author(s): C H Tawney
Publisher: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation New Delhi

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Mlechchha.* But it has not spread like Buddhism, possibly because its morality has been, in some respects, too rigid for ordinary human nature, and its doctors inferior in tact and knowledge of the world to their Buddhist rivals.†
The real founder of the sect was the Jina Vardhamána, usually known by the title of Mahávíra, or great hero, who was a contemporary of Gautama Buddha and of Gosála, the son of Mankhali, the founder of the sect of the Ájívikas mentioned in the edicts of Açoka.
It must be admitted that the Jains believe in twenty-four Jinas, but probably only the twenty-third, Párçva, and the twenty-fourth, Vardharmána, have any claim to be considered historical.§ It is possible that Vardhamána was a reformer rather than a founder, and only improved on the doctrines of Párçva. Vardhamána was the son of Siddhartha, who belonged to a noble warrior race, that of the Jnátri Kshatriyas. He was born in Kundagráma, a suburb of Vaiçálí. His mother was Triçalá, the sister of Cheṭaka, who is sometimes called King of Videha, though he was probably only primus inter pares, and in the Kathakoça is represented as being besieged by Konika in Vaiçálí.|| He was also related to the ruling dynasty in Magadha, as Chetaka's daughter Chellaná was married to King Creņika or Bimbisára. Shortly after the death of his parents,
I.e., Barbarian. The term includes Indian Muhammadans, as well as Europeans and other non-Indian Gesindel.
In this connection I may refer to a remark of Horace Hayman Wilson in his translation of the Mudrá Rákshasa' ('Hindu Theatre,' vol. ii., p. 217). Professor Jacobi seems to think that the founder of the Jain religion was quite willing to use his family influence for the advancement of his tenets. That some Jains were not wanting in a due respect for princes and great men may be inferred from the attempt made in the Kathakoça' to whitewash the parricide Koņika or Ajátaçatru (see p. 177 of the following translation).
See Hoernle's Uvásaga Dasáo,' Appendix I. and II.
The names of all the twenty-four will be found in Jacobi's translation of the 'Kalpa Sútra,' and in Colebrooke's Essays, edited by Cowell, vol. ii., p. 187 and ff.
See pp. 178-180 of the following translation.
Bühler's Vortrag, p. 19; Jacobi's Introduction to the translation of theÁcháránga Sútra,' pp. xi., xii. and xiii. See also note 8 in Hoernle's translation of the Uvásaga Dasáo.' The Lichchavis, a class of nobles in Vaiçálí, are mentioned in connection with Buddha, as well as with Mahávíra.