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24
EPITHETS OF LORD MAHÂVÎRA IN EARLY JAINA CANON*
-Dalsukh Malvania
There were many groups of the Sramanas, each of them having a leader. This fact is proved sufficiently by the Pali-Pitakas. All such leaders are given the following common epithets in the Pali canon.
'सङघी चेव, गणी च, गणाचरियो च, जातो, यसस्सी, तित्थकरो, साधु-सम्मतो बहुजनस्स, रत्तनू, चिरपब्बजितो, अद्धगतो, वयोअनुप्पत्तो' - दीघ० सामञ्ञफलंसुत्त ।
In addition to these common epithets in Pali canon Lord Mahâvîra the leader of the group of Nigganthas, was further given such epithets as,
“निगण्ठो, आवुसो नाटपुत्तो सब्बञ्च सब्बदस्सावी, अपरिसेसं त्राणदस्सनं पटिजानाति चरतो च मे तिट्ठतो च सुत्तस्स च जागरस्स च सततं समितं ञाणदस्सनं पच्चुपट्ठितं ति”-मज्झिमनिकाय, देवदहसुत्त ।
Here in this paper I want to discuss the epithets of Lord Mahâvîra as are found in some of the texts of the early Jaina canonical literature. As these texts are not of the same time, I shall take them one by one according to their chronological order. This procedure will help us to know as to how a cluster of epithets was developed in the course of time and as to how the final one was arrived at, not only that but as to how some of the common epithets became the property of a particular group-leader. The discussion will also make it clear that the epithets given to Lord Mahâvîra in the Pali-pitakas do not belong to the early period of time. Again it will prove the Acaranga part I to be earlier than that
* Sambodhi, Vol. 1, No. 4, January, 1973., L.D. Institue of Indology, Ahmedabad.
