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JAINISM BEFORE LORD MAHÂVÎRA*
-Kailash Chand Jain
The history of Jainism before Mahâvîra is shrouded in considerable obscurity. The available evidence to decide the question is scanty, dubious and capable of different interpretations. Scholars have 'therefore' come to widely divergent conclusions. The Jainas themselves believe that their religion is eternal and that before Mahâvîra (600 B.C.), there lived twenty three Tirthankaras who appeared at certain intervals to propagate true religion for the salvation of the world. Some scholars1 are of opinion that there are traces of the existence of Sramana culture even in pre-Vedic times. Hermann Jacobi2 tried to prove both from the Buddhist and the Jaina records, that Parsvanatha, the immediate predecessor of Mahâvîra. Who is said to have furnished some 250 years before him, is a historical personality.
Jaina Religion As Eternal
According to the traditions of the Jainas as found in their scriptures, Jaina religion is eternal, and it has been revealed again and again in every cycle period of the world by innumerable Tîrthankaras. The whole time is divided into two equal cycles namely Utsarpini Kâla and Avasarpini Kâla. Each Utsarpini and Avsarpini Kâla extends over ten Kotâ-Koti Sagaropama years, and are divided into six divisions known as aras. The six divisions of Avasarpini are known as Sushamâ-Sushama, Sushama, SushamâDushamâ Dushamâ-Sushama, Dúshamâ and DushamâDushamâ. The six divisions of Utsapini are Dushamâ-Dushamâ, Dushamâ Dushamâ-Sushama, Sushama-Dushamâ, Sushama and Sushama-Sushama. During each succeeding ara of Avasarpini Kâla, the age, height, strength and happiness of the Yugalikas
* Journal of the Gavganatha Jhakindriya Sanskrit Vidyapitha, vol. 32, 1976.
