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Vardhamana and the Foundations of Jainism
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88.
One Jaina source (Hemachandra's Parisistaparva: viii, 341) places this event at 427 B.C.; this is somewhat closer to the approximate date of 477 B.C. put forth by Jacobi (1932: intro.vii). See Basham 1951: 77ff. H. Jain (1974: 5052) refutes these views in favor of the traditional date.
89.
For details concerning the ganadharas, see Ch. II. 90. KS: $126.
91.
jam rayanim ca nam samane bhagavam Mahavire ..... java dukkhappahine tam rayanim ca nam nava Malli nava Licchavi Kasi-Kosalaga attharasa vi ganarayano amavase parabhoyam posahovavasam patthavaimsu, gate se bhavujjoe davvujjoyam karissamo. KS: $127. Compare: tatas tu lokah prativarsam adarat, prasiddha-dipalikayatra bharate/samudyatah pujayitum jinesvaram, jinendranirvanavibhutibhaktibhak//Harivamsapurana: lxvi, 21.
92.
93
Gunaratnasuri, a Svetâmbara writer (circa 1400), summarizes the main features of the various Jaina sects as follows: Jainah dvividhah Svetâmbara Digambaras ca. tatra Svetâmbaranam rajoharana-mukhavastrikalocadi lingam, colapattakalpadiko vesah . . . Digambara punar nagnyalingah panipatras ca. te caturdha Kasthasamgha-Mulasamgha-MathurasamghaGopyasamgha bhedena. Adyas trayo 'pi samghah ... strinam muktim kevalinam bhuktim sadvrátasyapi sacivarasya muktim ca na manvate, Gopyas tu... strinam muktim kevalinam bhuktim ca manyante. Gopya Yapaniya ity apy ucyante ... sesam acare gurau ca deve ca sarvan. Svetâmbarais tulyam, nasti tesam mithah sastresu tarkesv aparo bhedah. Saddarsanasamuccaya: iv, 1. For a history of the three samghas mentioned in this passage, see Johrapurkar 1958. In addition to its unique claim that Tirthankarahood is available to women, the Svetambara legend of Malli provides useful insight into Jaina ideas on the factors leading to a female birth. It is said that the soul which later became Malli was in a former life a male, specifically, a king named Mahâbala. This king, together with seven friends, renounced the world and became a Jaina mendicant. All eight made a solemn agreement to undertake an identical number of fasts as part of their austerities. Mahabala, however, constantly found excuses (ill health, and so on) to skip meals; he thus abrogated the agreement by deviously accumulating a larger number of fasts than his friends. His conduct being in all other ways quite faultless, and including the several virtues prerequisite to Tirthankarahood, he attained in the second subsequent birth to the destiny of a teacher-savior. The prior misdeed of "cheating' on a pact, however, could not go without retribution. Thus the soul of this being, although ready for the exalted status of a Tirthankara, was born as a female, Malli. During her youth she was sought after by numerous lustful suitors, sexual object and by being the cause of violence, she renounced the world, became a nun, attained to kevalajñâna, and propagated the Jaina doctrine. Both Digambaras and Svetâmbaras, while disagreeing over the verify of this particular story, share the notion that such vices as cheating, capriciousness, greed and cunning are the fundamental causes of rebirth as woman. For the Svetambara account of Malli, see Jñâtrdharmakatha-sútra: viii; TSPC: VI, vi, 19-213. For the Digambara version, see U.P. Ixvi, 1-65. For a sculptural representation of the female Malli, see U.P. Shah 1956. See
