Lord Mahavira

Author(s): Bool Chand
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society

Page 91

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Käshyapagotra iostructed two hundred and fifty śramanas ; the Sthavira Akampita of the Gauiama gotra and Sthavira Achalabhrātā of the Hāritāyana gotra, both Sthaviras instructed together three hundred fromanas each ; the Sthaviras Metārya and Prabhâsa, both of the Kaundinyagotra, instructed together three hundred sramanas each. Therefore it has been said that the vencrable Ascetic Mahavira had nine Gaņas but eleven Ganadharas.” (Kalpasutra, pp. 286-7).
These conversions gave to Mahavira a respectable community of 4,411 framinas. It is presumable that at this place not only framaşas but also lay disciples joined Mahavira's order; in Jain texts there are references 'to the Lord having established a community of four orders range i.e., monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen at the same time. We have already mentioned that, unlike Pārsva, who seems to have grouped all the laymen and similarly laywomen together, Mahavira inade a clear distinction between ordinary laymen who merely expressed their sympathy with the Jain doctrine and faith as Jains and the body of layınen gif who took a special type of dikşã and who clearly undertook to observe the twelve lay vows, As Mrs. Stevenson has said, the genius for organisation which Mahavira possessed is shown in nothing more clearly than in the formition of this and the order of laywomen 7 FT. These two organisations gave the Jaina a root in India that the Buddhists and, one might add, the other systems of parivrāj167 orders; never obtained, and that 1000 firmly planted amongst the laity enabled Jainism to withstand the storm that drove Buddhism out of India.
Influence at Royal Courts :
Magidha : From the scene of Somilācārya's yajña Mahavira proceeded to Rajgriha, the old capital of Magadha, where Srenika (Bimbisara) was the ruling monarch. As we have stated before, Mahavira was a Jñitrkı from his father's side, but his mother vas Gister to Cetaka, the king of Vaisali, who belonged to