________________
14
JAINISM UPTO THE LAST VICTOR*
-S.R. Goyal
Jainism before Pârsvanatha
In the age of Mahâvîra Jainism was known as Nigantha Dhamma (Nirgranthism). It was called as such because it laid great stress on non-possession and on renunciation of the house (âgâra or grha) which was considered a knot (grantha). It was also known by the general name Sramapa dharma (Sramanism), a term which was applied to all non-Brahmanical sects. It believed that the conquest of the evil tendencies of attachment and hatred was the real end. As the promulgators of this ideal were regarded as Jinas (victors), their followers were given the name Jaina and their religion came to be known as Jainism.
The Jainas claim a great antiquity for their religion? They believe that Mahâvîra, the contemporary of the Buddha, was their twenty fourth Tîrthankara (the founder of faith). A list of the names of all the Tîrthankaras is given in a subsequent section of this Chapter?. The Kalpasutra of Bhadrabahu gives us the life-history of each Tîrthankara or Jina3 Rshabhadeva or Adinatha stands first in this list. He is mentioned even in the Vishnu and the Bhagavala Puranas as a great saint-king belonging to a very remote past. Further, as we have seen in Chapter 5, in the Rigveda itself there are found traces of the existence of religious thinkers known as Munis and Sramanas who may be regarded as the precursors of the Jaina faith. H. L. Jain even claims to have found a mention of Rishabhadeva in the Rigveda (see p. 97). According to later tradition he was a son of Marudevi and Nâbhi, queen and king of Kosala. After deep and long meditation he received Kevala Jñâna or the highest knowledge. He is said to have led a community of
A Religious History of Ancient India upto C.1200 A.D.) Volume one, Kusumanjali Prakashan Meerut.
